Messianic Rebirth
by Prince Arjuna
Summary: There was a boy who devoted himself to become a seal, risking his soul to prevent mankind, who has lost the joy of living, from calling down ultimate destruction. When a cry of distress reached out for him, begging him to save a world that was not his, the boy descended to the world, becoming a savior once again. After all, he is the Messiah. CHAPTER 10: THE HEART
1. The Rebirth

The boy once heard, when he was still alive and mortal, that no one can escape time, as it delivers all to the same end. Yet, once time catches up, what happens with one's time? When he was still alive, he deemed the question irrelevant, considering that he had a world to save.

But after performing one of the most impossible miracles, the Great Seal, which cost him his very own soul, he finally received the answer to this once-irrelevant question. As his life's essence became the seal which prevents Erebus, the grand manifestation of humanity's grief and negative emotions, from reaching Nyx, the manifestation of Death itself, he began to experience something that could be considered 'eternity'.

In the Sea of Souls, the bridge which connects to the collective unconscious of mankind, time has lost its meaning. With him being barely conscious, which was enough for him to be aware of each time Erebus attempted to break through the great golden gate, his perception of time slowly eroded. He didn't know how long it had been since the Great Seal's conception.

Perhaps a few months just passed? Or was it years? Decades? Centuries? Millennia? The boy could not tell.

If the boy were to be honest, it was quite lonely up there, to be the only thing that stood between Death and humanity's malice. He couldn't exactly call Erebus something which could alleviate his loneliness, because whenever it showed up, it would try to yank him from the golden gate to reach Nyx. From time to time, though, Elizabeth would show up to visit him. Sometimes she came to sing (the songs were a little weird, however), sometimes she came to talk (not that he could reciprocate, being a statue and all) and sometimes, she came to just sit and stare at him for a short time before disappearing. While it wasn't much, at least with Elizabeth visiting, he felt less lonely.

The boy knew that if he had something to regret, it would be that he hadn't done anything meaningful right before his grand sacrifice. As a young man who had a great future ahead of him, the boy could have done more. He could have brought happiness to his friends and loved ones. He could have at least left something behind, something to tell the world that he once existed. He could have at least left a mark. The boy knew that he used to take his life for granted. If he only knew the true meaning of life back then, then he might have done more, more than what he could imagine.

In turn, he was content with his fate, to be humanity's greatest and final guardian against its own darkness. As his contract once cited, _"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will."_ He knew the consequences of the choice, his own death being one. He never regretted being the Great Seal, a thankless duty someone had to do in order to prevent the extinction of humanity.

If anything, the constant assault by Erebus notwithstanding, the boy was absolutely at peace. He knew that he had made the right choice, and the world wouldn't end anytime soon as long as he remained as the Great Seal. Sure, he missed his friends and loved ones, wondering whether they were alright or not. He could not see them, being a statue and all, but in his way, he constantly watched over them, keeping humanity under his protection. As long as he believed in that, he could bear his cross, even if he had to remain on the great golden gate for all eternity.

The boy, barely conscious, felt yet another assault from Erebus coming shortly. If not due to the fact that he was a statue, he might have let out a heavy sigh, muttering "whatever". To be literally made of stone that contained his soul, of course that would be impossible.

As he mentally prepared himself, he could feel the presence approaching the Seal, which decidedly was not Erebus. Assuming it might be Elizabeth, the boy mentally sighed, wondering what kind of song the golden-eyed lady would sing this time. The one about Igor having a long nose lost its novelty and appeal quite long ago, and because he had lost his perception of time, it might have already been a damn long time ago.

Much to his surprise, however, the presence proved itself to be not Elizabeth, but someone else. He might have blinked in confusion if not due his aforementioned circumstances. The surprise made him more conscious than before, and when he focused his attention to where the presence originated, he saw a figure, whose features were hidden by an all-encompassing white cloak.

The figure looked up, gazing at the humanoid statue that stored the boy's soul, and the he was able to identify the figure as female upon closer inspection. The upper part of her face was shadowed by her cloak, but the boy noticed the gleam under the hood the female was wearing. Those were most likely her eyes.

For the first time since his tenure as the Great Seal, the boy was confused.

Was this somehow a new trick made by Erebus? Did something happen to humanity that caused this irregularity, with the irregularity being the appearance of this mysterious hooded female?

A myriad of questions began to form within him, and all of them seemed to center on this person.

"Please do not worry," the mysterious female spoke, her voice pleasant. "I mean you no harm. Whoever this Erebus is, I can assure you that I am not him."

He was stunned. Did she just read his mind or something?

"Well," she said, hesitating, "to make things much simpler, let's just say I can hear you-"

_"You can hear me?"_ The boy hesitantly attempted to communicate with the female. She nodded.

"Yes," the mysterious woman answered, and continued. "Your voice..." The boy heard emotion akin to sorrow as she spoke. "You're just a boy, aren't you?"

_"Teenager, actually. I died when I was sixteen. Or seventeen. Don't know which, but it doesn't matter anyways,"_ he replied. He tried shrugging, but then he realized that a statue couldn't shrug.

"So young, and yet…" The female trailed off before looking aside. "I'm sorry. This kind of fate…" She shook her head. "This is too much for a child like you…"

_"Like I said before, it doesn't matter. I wasn't exactly thrilled to die for the sins of humanity either, but when faced with certain extinction, every alternative was preferable. It happened that there were none, only choices. The choice to whether let humanity die, or to protect them with my life as the price,"_ he paused before continuing, _"and it was fair; one life for everyone of humanity's. My age is irrelevant in the face of complete annihilation of my species."_

The mysterious hooded female went silent, and the boy realized that he might have told her, a complete stranger, too much about himself.

Well, after an eternity of complete solitude, one wouldn't be able to contain himself to speak after being presented with a chance to communicate with someone other than himself.

"Even so, death seems much kinder than this kind of fate…" She spoke mournfully.

_"Yes... Yet Death, however frightening and horrific it is, can be kind. I can assure you that,"_ the boy stated nostalgically. With the enlightenment after learning the truth behind life, he saw Death as something not to be feared, but as one of life's natural stages.

He already knew that without Death, there would be no Life, only stagnation and stillness.

_"But enough about that. Who are you? What are you doing here? Are you human?"_

For a few moments, the mysterious hooded intruder was silent. Then, she spoke.

"I'm sorry. Due to some complicated circumstances, I… I am unable to give you straight answers to those questions." Her words sounded apologetic, and the boy could feel that she was not lying. "But I can assure you that I mean no harm. It's just that… the pursuit for my objective has led me to this place."

_"What kind of objective leads you into the collective unconscious of mankind?"_ The boy replied with a question.

"A very important one," she answered grimly. "If I fail, then… my world will be destroyed."

The boy, once again, was stunned.

_"Your world?"_ That was quite a new revelation to him. If he took her words at face value, then that would mean she came from another dimension. _"Does that mean you came from another world? A different dimension, I mean. Or is it an alternative to ours?"_

The mysterious female shrugged. "Well, you can say that. I… I need to find a way to avert an apocalypse in my home dimension. I lack power, and in my pursuit for strength, I was led here, the collective unconscious of your world. That woman said that my objective lies in this place."

_"That woman? Are you talking about Elizabeth?"_ The boy asked.

"Elizabeth? Hmm… I believe that's her name." The hooded female nodded. "She told me that once I reach this place, I would find my answer and complete my mission. But the only thing I found here was a boy who selflessly sacrificed himself for the sake of his home and its people and gained nothing in return. I have no idea what to make of this discovery, other than the fact that a child died for humanity's sins."

The boy was about to make a snide and sarcastic remark before he was hit with an epiphany.

If Elizabeth was the one who led her, then she knew what she was doing.

_"No. You… you found your answer. The answer you have been searching for is right in front of your eyes."_

"Huh?" The boy could tell that his new acquaintance was blinking in confusion. "What do you mean?"

_"You told me that you lack power, and thus, this pursuit for said power. It happens that I, despite being a statue and such, have power which can be used to save your home from its demise,"_ the boy explained. _"If there is something which can be done, then I may be able to save your world."_

"Y-you… you're willing to save my world?" The mysterious hooded female asked, stunned. "Even though it is not yours to begin with?" Shaking her head, she said, "You are not a mere boy, but a messiah."

The boy tried his best not to smirk, only to realize that statues are unable to move a few seconds later.

Well, she was essentially correct about him being a messiah. There might be a few factors that allowed him to call himself that title, one factor being the titular Persona as a side of his many other facets.

_"Well, I just think it's the right thing to do. But with me being stuck here, I guess that's kind of impossible, after all,"_ he stated. _"I mean, if I were to be removed from the Great Seal, then Erebus will come for Nyx, and all the people I've been protecting will be doomed. I have no right to call myself a messiah if that event came to pass."_

"I see…" She said, her voice melancholy. "So, it's impossible, after all, huh?"

The hooded one lowered her head, and the boy could feel her sadness over the fact that her journey amounted to essentially nothing. She may try to strengthen herself after being refused a chance to save her world, but her inner turmoil was palpable.

_"Unless if… someone would take my place, that is,"_ the boy hesitated. _"In order to keep the Great Seal functioning, a soul is needed. Even then, methods to replace the sacrifice mainly rely on hypotheses at this point, and my method isn't exactly replicable."_

"A soul…" The woman pondered. "So all it needs is a soul, huh?"

_"An exceptionally sturdy soul, to be exact, since complete isolation can drive someone insane, but essentially, yes. All it needs is a soul. One's personal sanity is a secondary matter, after all."_

"Then, if I were to replace you, you'll be able to save my world?"

_"You're willing to take my place? You do realize you may end up spending the entire length of your existence in the collective unconscious of a world that is not your own, for time immemorial, until the end of the time itself?"_

"Yet you were willing to save a world, that was not yours as well, simply because you believe it is the right thing to do?" The hooded one questioned in reply, with the faintest smile on her face. "It's only fair for me to return the favor."

_"Even then, you will doom yourself to an eternity of loneliness and pain. Erebus is far from gentle, and you probably won't appreciate it groping your body, you know? Now that I think about it, Erebus is rather perverted. And I'm a guy, which is really saying something."_

The lonely one's visitor choked at his confession, bringing a hand to her chest. The steel in her voice was made evident.

"E-even so, this is the only path for me! If I have to take your place so that my home can be saved, then so be it! Didn't you say earlier that when faced with certain extinction, any alternative is preferable? And now, it happens that there are no other paths, only choices. The choice whether to let my home, my kin, face Armageddon? Or to allow a messiah to save it, with my life as a price."

Dumbfounded to have his reasoning thrown back at him, he sighed again in resignation.

_"Suppose you do decide to take my burden, then… how will you do it? As I said before, there is no known method for us to trade places."_

Faced with an ultimatum, she smiled even brighter.

"I know just the thing. You don't have to worry. I may not look like it, but I'm good at this kinda stuff, you know?"

_"Uh…"_

"Now, let's get started." And so, the mysterious hooded female's entire body shone, cascading the infinite space in white light. The boy could feel a change within him, as he was bathed in its splendor.

The woman raised a single hand, all fingers except her index clenched into a fist, pointing to the heavens above. She reminded him of when he performed the impossible miracle: the creation of the Great Seal.

"Before we trade places, may I ask you for a favor?" She asked as the light grew in intensity.

_"Go ahead."_

"I have two daughters in my home world. One of them isn't actually my biological daughter, but she is mine all the same. I love them both, and I am willing to die for their sake. I'm not particularly worried about the elder one, since the younger is the one I worry for."

Brighter and brighter.

"If you happen to see Yang and Ruby, could you take good care of them? Particularly my baby, Ruby. S-she's…" She strained. "…She means everything to me, and I wish for nothing but her happiness."

The force of her shine sent her hood off her face, only allowing her gray eyes to be seen through the light. Those same gray eyes were filled with tears of gratefulness, tears of a loving mother who wished nothing but a bright future for her children.

_"You have my word."_

"Thank you. And one more thing. Will you tell me your name?"

_"I will, if you give yours first."_

"Right. My name is Summer," a pause, "Summer Rose."

His consciousness faded rapidly, so he mustered up every iota of strength left in his weary heart.

_"Makoto. My name is Makoto Yuuki."_

He didn't remember anything after the darkness.

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 01: The Rebirth**

The first thing he felt as he regained his senses was comfortable warmth, as if some kind of soft fabric seemed to wrap around his naked self, while a pair of gentle arms held him tenderly. He heard faint voices which brought comfort to his heart.

Like being a newborn...

Wait, a newborn?

Opening his eyes, the one known as Makoto Yuuki was truly shocked. His whole body really had been wrapped in fabrics, while a beautiful red-haired woman cradled him in her arms.

For some reason, she was larger than most people he knew.

Much larger.

"Oh look, dear! He opened his eyes!" The woman cooed. "He's blinking!"

He was blinking because he wasn't expecting this kind of thing to happen. He tried to say something, but if anything, the noises that he made were akin to the babbles of babies.

Yes, babies.

"Ooh, he's trying to say something! Call me Papa!" A man nearby him said. The woman chuckled.

"Don't be silly, dear. It's too early for him to even speak," she gently chided the man . "Even so, I can feel something from this child."

"Yes," the man replied. "Look, he even has your eyes."

Makoto blinked again. As he tried to assess the entirety of his situation, he finally understood that he was currently in the form of a newborn child. Strangely enough, he was totally aware of his own surroundings, despite being a newborn. Even so, he was limited to the actions that came with one who was just birthed.

"Okay, since we've already agreed about this, we'll name him Makoto," the man said. It seemed that this man was his father.

The woman nodded. He assumed her to be his mother. "Makoto," she said. "Ah, such a beautiful name. Even if I were to give birth to a girl, Makoto would work as well, right?"

Isn't that a little harsh to say to your newborn, Mother? The newly-named Makoto (coincidence?) tried to protest but could only babble out.

"Yep, you are right…"

And don't go and agree with her, Dad.

"From now on, your name is Makoto Yuuki."

Baby Makoto blinked a few times. The convenience sure was mind boggling, if he were to be honest. "The blood of heroes and warriors flows within your veins, Son. I can feel it. You are destined to do something great, something that is worth being proud of," his father grinned.

"Oh dear, don't start dumping heavy responsibility on our child, okay?" His mother chided his father again. "Even so, I can feel it. This child is special… I can feel it…"

His mother stroked his chin gently. Makoto was surprised by the care. Did his original parents do the same when he was a child?

"So, Makoto," his mother spoke to him sweetly, "are you hungry?"

Baby Makoto had a bad feeling about this. And soon, his suspicions were all but confirmed when a very large breast headed towards his face. He almost freaked out.

From that moment, the reborn messiah promised himself to keep the terrifying moment a permanent secret. If other living souls came to learn this, he had a feeling he would never live it down.

* * *

Over the years, Makoto slowly learned about the new world he was born into.

First, the world he stayed in was called Remnant. It was comparable to fantasy settings he had a general idea of in books he read. Also, he made himself familiar with the terminology of Dust, Hunters, Grimm, Faunus, Aura and Semblance. It impressed his parents to have their three year-old be so knowledgeable. In reality, he was nineteen or twenty (or possibly timeless since he had experienced eternity as the Great Seal, he couldn't tell) in mental years.

Other than that, he came to learn about the family he was born into. Coincidentally, he was of the Yuuki lineage, a family with a long history of heroes and warriors. Again to his benefit, and much to his own bafflement, he was still named Makoto Yuuki. He theorized that whatever that mysterious hooded female, Summer Rose, had done at that time might have caused this kind of situation to happen. Even so, it was far too convenient for his taste.

His parents also happened to be accomplished Hunters. His father, Minato Yuuki, used to be a renowned Huntsman before his early retirement in order to teach at Signal Academy, an institution made to train young warriors on the basics of battle, located at the isle of Patch, just off the coast of Vale. His mother, Kotone Yuuki, was a Huntress, and a very famous one. Her swordsmanship was said to be nigh unparalleled, and due to her penchant for red outfits, she was nicknamed "The Crimson Huntress" or "The Blood Huntress".

She also happened to be a bit of an airhead...

Nevertheless, over time, he grew to love his new family. Sure, he would never forget the ones that he had back in his home world, but he was brought into Remnant thanks to both Kotone and Minato. Makoto allowed himself to be loved and pampered, even though he was constantly aware of his original purpose in Remnant. Given Summer's warning about the oncoming apocalypse, he had to be prepared.

When he was seven, his mother began training him in the arts of combat. Makoto still had his Personas, but without his Evoker with him, he could only channel their powers instead of summoning them outright.

Kotone was a gentle mother, while being a very harsh teacher. Whenever she trained him, her sword techniques were beaten right into him, literally. He awakened to his Aura as well, but he had yet to manifest his Semblance.

In the end, he managed to master every sword technique that his mother taught him.

But it wasn't enough. So he was enrolled into Signal Academy, and he learned much more. As all the students of Signal were required to build their own weapons, Makoto crafted a rather simple gladius that can split into two scimitars. He modeled his weapon after Thanatos' blade, with one sharp edge on one side and a jagged side on the reverse. The gladius was created without a sword guard, and the hilt was pitch black in color.

"So, have you named your weapon yet, Makoto?" A teacher at Signal once asked him when the blue-haired boy was finished crafting his weapon.

Makoto contemplated a name for a moment before nodding to himself.

"Memento Mori. I will name it Memento Mori," Makoto said, showing his sword to his teacher after.

"Memento Mori?" The teacher frowned. "That is, umm… a rather unusual name. Is there any meaning behind it?"

Makoto nodded. He didn't know if Remnant had any Latin equivalent or not, but Memento Mori was a Medieval Latin theory which was based on the inevitable death of all things; that all things of the World are transient.

"Remember you are mortal. Remember you will die. No matter what choices you may make, only death awaits in the end. We may not know how we die, but Death constantly watches over us, waiting for any opportune moment to seize us away. Especially in battle, where the possibility of dying is vastly higher. The jagged edge of this sword is a reminder of that. While the sharp edge faces my enemies, this jagged side faces me, its wielder. What do you think, teacher?"

Makoto's teacher was stunned, and a little disturbed about how a young child was able to view Death without any hint of fear. He sounded like he had accepted his own Death already.

"Are you aware of what you're saying, Makoto?" The teacher asked.

"Averting my eyes from the truth will make me a hypocrite, sir," Makoto bluntly replied.

"Listen, boy. That isn't something a child like you must say. Tell me, is there anyone who has been influencing you to believe that?" His teacher sternly asked.

Makoto shook his head after considering.

"No one. I accept this fate of my own free will, and I don't need anyone to tell me that. Is that good enough reasoning?"

Rendered silent for a few seconds, a soft sigh escaped the teacher's lips. "I can't believe this. Fine, I won't force you to change the name of your weapon, or try to change your beliefs. It's the truth, I know that. But," the teacher smiled, patting Makoto's shoulder, "you have a bright future ahead of you. You are one of the most promising students we have at Signal. If Death is the only thing on your mind, you may end up spending your entire life without any meaning. You can prepare to die, as all Huntsmen and Huntresses do, but please look forward to living as well, okay?"

"I'll see what I can do..."

"Geez. Well, it's not a very satisfying answer, but that will do."

At times, Makoto couldn't comprehend his teacher's reasoning. All the children in Signal Academy were trained how to fight, and with that, the possibility of Death always loomed, whether they liked it or not. To not prepare oneself for death was plain idiocy if they wished to be Hunters.

Also, he never forgot the reason of his stay in Remnant in the first place, and that he had the power to avert it. If necessary, he may have to perform another impossible miracle to stop the end of the world, to be another sacrifice. If his death could save millions of people, he would accept it, not caring if he never truly belonged on Remnant itself.

He is a Messiah, a martyr.

There was also the stipulation that if he met Rose's daughters, he would take care of them. Makoto estimated that both would be older than him, since he was reborn in Remnant after meeting the mother. Then, he actually met them both, and contrary to what he believed, they were around his age, the youngest sibling being only two years younger than him.

Whatever Summer Rose had done when they switched, the natural timeline most likely altered to accommodate his presence. How she was able to do such a thing, the messiah had no idea.

These girls, Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose, were also students of Signal. As fellow students, Makoto acquainted himself with them. He was around the same age as Yang, the boisterous one among the two. She was remarkable in combat, from what he had witnessed.

The younger, Ruby Rose, was awkward and socially-withdrawn, but like her sister, she was highly proficient in combat. Ruby built herself a complicated weapon, a combination of a high-powered sniper rifle and a scythe, which seemed difficult to use in battle. Due to her inheritance of her mother's eyes, the similarity between the two was uncanny.

Keeping true to Summer's wish, he continued to watch over both girls from safe distances. Makoto didn't want to startle them by revealing them that he met their mother in the past. To them, he was a schoolmate who occasionally interacted with them to see whether they were doing well or not. Ultimately, their relationship was limited to staying mere acquaintances. It might soon change in the future; who could say? Makoto may just continue observing until the end of their days rolled in.

Since he was so focused on training and watching the sisters, Makoto allowed seventeen years to pass by. Soon, they would graduate and enroll into Beacon Academy, the higher education for Hunters, to evolve and refine their skills in order to defeat the plague that was the Grimm. Makoto felt the time to play a role as a messiah was arriving quick, and so he felt the need to reveal his origins to his parents.

After all, his mother gave birth to the savior of Remnant.

* * *

It was in the Yuuki Manor that, after some deliberation, Makoto Yuuki decided to disclose his mission to his family. For seventeen years, he was given all the love and affection one could ask for. It was only right to enlighten them with the truth, especially if it could ease some of their pain should the worst come to pass.

Steeling himself, Makoto walked out of his room and went to his mother's chamber. The door was closed, so he brought up his hand and gave it a few tentative knocks.

"Mom, it's me," Makoto said.

"Ah. Come in, dear."

Makoto could hear his mother's voice from inside. He opened the door, and he saw his mother, sitting on her bed, reading a novel. She was attired in a black slip nightgown, from what the blue-haired boy could see. Now given her permission, he stepped into the room.

His mother, Kotone, was a very beautiful woman. Despite being a mother to a seventeen-year-old teenager, she still seemed to keep her youth. After living with her for his life on Remnant, he saw several aspects of the women who he came to know in his previous life. Kotone was a kindhearted woman, like Fuuka, but she also had a sort of authority and charisma, just like Mitsuru. She was also strong-willed, like Yukari, and at the same time, very gentle and sweet, like Aigis.

"What's the matter, Makoto?" Kotone asked, setting down her novel on the bedside drawer. "Having trouble sleeping?"

Makoto closed his eyes for a while before he looked at his mother. "Mom… actually, there's something I'd like to tell you. It's… kind of important, and a little crazy too, so I wish you can listen to me regardless."

Kotone raised one eyebrow in skepticism. Then, she nodded.

"Alright, go ahead, Makoto. I'll listen."

Makoto took a deep breath before he spoke, "Actually, I'm not what I truly seem to be..."

Makoto confessed to his mother everything. He told her about his past life, his fate, his meeting with the woman named Summer Rose, his rebirth in the world of Remnant, the future apocalypse and the possibility of his self-sacrifice for the sake of the world.

"You have been so kind to me these seventeen years, and it would be ungrateful of me to keep this a secret. If situation demands it, I may end up dying for the sake of the world once again, a-and," he hesitated. "...I don't want to make you sad, Mom."

As expected, Kotone was stunned. Makoto smiled wryly. He didn't expect Kotone to believe in him, but he felt better telling her the truth.

Much to his surprise, Kotone seized his shoulders and pulled him towards her, wrapping her arms around him, hugging her child with fervor. Makoto ended up having his face stuffed between his mother's breasts, but he was too shocked to be embarrassed by this.

"I believe you, Makoto," Kotone said softly, "I believe what you said is true."

"Y-you… believe me?" Makoto asked, trying his best to not be suffocated by his mother's ample bosom.

She smiled, "Of course. You're my son, after all."

"That's a half-assed answer, Mom," he deadpanned. He stopped struggling, but again, his face was stuffed between her mountainous assets. After a while, Kotone let her son go, and Makoto tried his best to regain his composure. "And… that's the gist of it, Mom. I have nothing to prove it, but I can assure you I'm not lying. I can even remember my time as a newborn."

"I see," Kotone studied her son's face for a while, "so… you're here to avert a catastrophic disaster?"

"Yes," he agreed, "I'd rather not call myself with the word, but essentially I was born as the messiah of Remnant. It's complicated."

"And you're going to save it, even if you pay it with your life?"

Somehow, Kotone's expression seemed mournful despite her smile. It was already expected, to hear that her child might have to die in order to save Remnant.

"It's too much of a burden for a child like you, Makoto."

"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will," Makoto recited the contract of when he was first gifted with the power of Personas. "I'd like to live, but someone has to do this thankless job, and it happens that I have the power for it."

"Still, you don't have to be the one," Kotone reasoned. "Remnant isn't your real home."

Makoto couldn't help but to smile. "That is true, but you gave birth to me. That makes me a native of Remnant. It is my responsibility to save it," he looked down, "and I made a promise to her…"

"Summer Rose… I know that name. So, that's why she disappeared suddenly, huh?"

"Summer took my place as the Great Seal, and to not abide by her wishes would dishonor her sacrifice… I'm sorry, Mother," he murmured. "I'm sorry that you gave birth to a stubborn kid like me…"

Suddenly, he felt Kotone's hand pinching his left cheek.

"Don't be silly. You don't have to apologize for being born, Makoto. It's my responsibility as your mother. If anything, I'm so proud of you. You gave up your own life so humanity could survive. Even if I wasn't your mother then, I'm proud of you all the same."

"Mom…"

"Still, as your mother, I also want you to be happy. I know that you will make the right choice in the end, Makoto." She stroked her son's face gently. "We are the Yuuki. The blood of heroes and warriors flows within our veins. Self-sacrifice is in our blood, and that blood seems rather thick in you, but don't abandon your personal happiness too. I want you to remember that."

"…I understand."

"Makoto Yuuki, you have my blessing," Kotone said before she kissed her son's forehead. "Whatever your choice will be, as your mother, I will always support you."

Makoto closed his eyes, trying his best to reign in his emotions, with small success. "You have my thanks, and… thank you for believing me."

"That's what a mother does, right? So, do you want me to tell Dad?"

Makoto declined. "No need. I'll tell him myself later. Tomorrow I'll be going to Beacon, and I need to get some rest." He rose from his mother's bed. "Good night, Mom."

"Good night, sweetie."

Makoto left the room and closed the door. Once again, Kotone was alone.

"So… I was right all along," she muttered. "Makoto… my dear Makoto." She brought her hands to her chest.

She looked at the closed door, the one that was closed by her son earlier.

"I gave birth not only to a hero," her voice was strained, "but also to a future martyr."

She choked back a sob. Kotone could no longer hold back her unbidden tears as they rolled down her cheeks.

"W-why…? M-my Makoto…? W-why my Makoto? Why my baby? Why?!"

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Despite her pride in her son, despite approving him and what he would do in the future, she had essentially listened to her son's death sentence. It was a bitter pill for her to swallow.

She wept, lamenting over the fact that for the sake of Remnant, she may end up losing her boy.

Outside the room, Makoto leaned against the door's adjacent wall, listening to his mother's sobs. He gritted his teeth in frustration.

Even so, there was no time to falter. Makoto had a duty, and he was determined to face the uncertain future head on, without fail.

He had faced Death and Malice and triumphed; there was nothing to fear.

* * *

The next day, before departing to the port, Makoto told his father, Minato, about his true nature, just like how he told his mother. He was shocked as well. Much to his relief, Minato accepted it and told him that he was proud of him all the same.

The sorrowful look in the elder Yuuki's face was unmistakable...

After having a breakfast together, both his parents accompanied him to the port before he boarded the airship to Beacon. Makoto gave them loving hugs before he left, knowing that it might be the last time he ever saw them, so he didn't want to regret.

Makoto saw quite a lot of teenagers on the ship, recognizing some from Signal Academy. Much to his luck, Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose were among the crowd. They were also going to Beacon, and despite her age, Ruby managed to enroll herself due to special circumstances.

He sighed as he adjusted his dark blue blazer. The clothes that he wore resembled a Gekkoukan uniform back in his original world. The Yuuki family crest was embroidered on the back of the jacket, which was a light blue snowflake. Sometimes, he was mistaken as a Schnee due to the insignia's similarity, but the color of his hair stated otherwise. His was a rich navy instead of the Schnee's signature white.

Kotone once told him that the Yuuki and the Schnee were related by several generations, hence the similarity in the crest. Technically, it could be said that the Schnee's current heiress, Weiss Schnee, was Makoto's distant cousin. He didn't really care about it, either way, and only had the most basic of knowledge regarding his family tree.

The blue-haired boy was brought to attention as the television on the ship jumped to the current news.

On the screen, there was a mugshot of an orange-haired man in a white coat, Roman Torchwick: a wanted criminal. Makoto heard the name brought up several times before.

_"The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa."_

The screen changed topics to another story and reporter. Beside her was a picture of a group of protesters on the streets, along with a logo of a red wolf's head with three claw marks over it.

_"Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus Civil Rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony. The once peaceful organization has now disrupted-"_

The news feed was cut off by a hologram of a blonde woman in a white blouse and black skirt. Makoto had seen her sometimes; just like his mother, this woman was also a Huntress. Only he didn't quite remember her name.

_"Hello, and welcome to Beacon,"_ the Huntress began in a composed tone. _"My name is Glynda Goodwitch."_

Now that he finally remembered her name, he was sure that he met her a few times, since both his mother and this Glynda Goodwitch were colleagues, or acquaintances. Or probably friends, Makoto wasn't really sure.

He had spoken to Glynda several times in the past, and from those encounters, Glynda was a strict, no-nonsense woman. She seemed even stricter than Mitsuru. He bet that she might execute those who wronged her as well.

_"You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with knowledge and training to protect our world."_

After Glynda was done, the hologram disappeared, and Makoto let out a sigh of relief.

"So, I'm going to be a Huntsman, huh?" The blue-haired boy muttered to himself. The same could be said for the other teenagers in the ship. Letting his eyes wander, he froze on a person he never expected to see.

Standing among the passengers was a fair-skinned woman, clad in a sleeveless azure dress made of the softest velvet. Her slender hands were covered in opera gloves of the same shade, her shapely legs covered in black leggings and calf high velvet boots. There was a hat sitting upon her silvery blond hair.

She held a thick tome in her right hand, lightly supported, while her left held the leather strap of a holster, sheathing the steel of a pistol.

The most striking feature of the woman, of course, would be her golden eyes. As soon as their eyes met, her lips curled up into a mischievous smile.

"Elizabeth?"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello, it's me, Prince Arjuna. So, I have decided to make a new fanfic, a Crossover between Persona 3 and RWBY, **Messianic Rebirth.** As you can see, this is a story about Persona 3's Protagonist, named Makoto Yuuki this time, being reborn in the world of RWBY, Remnant, due to reasons that you might have seen in this story. The reason why I named him Makoto Yuuki instead of Minato Arisato is that Yuuki family sounds more pleasant than Arisato family. So, our protagonist will meet the rest of the cast in the next chapter, and you may expect shenanigans. And despite Makoto being the main character, I will say that Ruby is also a main character, a supporting protagonist. This will be made apparent in the future chapters.

Also, I would like to thank **Tethriot** for beta-reading this chapter. It's so nice working alongside you!

I hope you like this chapter, and feel free to send me reviews. They are the main sustenance for an author, after all. It keeps an author alive. See you in the next chapter, **Chapter 02: The Beacon.**

**Prince Arjuna (2014)**

**Update: Chapter 01 revised (beta-read by Sorata Shioya)**


	2. The Beacon

Makoto Yuuki was the type of man who could always keep his calm even in the most dire of situations, in both his past life and his current one. He could stay cool under pressure that would bring the greatest men to their knees. As the former strategist and field leader of SEES, it was his duty to be the guide and shepherd of his flock of warriors. It was that reliability which allowed him and his team to triumph over horrific, eldritch creatures during the Dark Hour.

However, the appearance of a certain golden-eyed woman almost made the blue-haired boy lose his poise. His ever brilliant mind came to a sudden halt as the Velvet Room's former attendant made her presence known to him.

He was frozen in shock as Elizabeth strutted towards him with a playful grin on her beautiful visage. She stood in front of Makoto, her golden eyes locked into his. Elizabeth's inhuman nature easily shone through the glow of her eyes.

"It's been a while, Makoto Yuuki," Elizabeth spoke. Standing face-to-face, the woman stood several inches shorter than the reborn messiah.

Elizabeth placed the holster and the pistol on top of the grimoire she held in her right hand and then placed her left on Makoto's chin. Makoto could feel Elizabeth's slender, gloved fingers tracing his chin in a rather intimate manner before she pulled his face towards hers.

To his surprise, Elizabeth pressed her lips against his, and he was too shocked to move as the attendant explored the crevices of his mouth and sucking on his tongue. A few seconds later, she let him go, licking the edge of her lips sensually.

Makoto blinked a few times in utter bewilderment. He was convinced that he and the attendant made quite the scene.

"Do not worry," Elizabeth said reassuringly, "even though they may see me, our presence is masked from their perception, unless if they were to pay full attention-"

She gestured to the group of teenagers around them. Makoto saw a few teenagers glancing, but they simply looked away as if nothing occurred, ignoring Elizabeth's presence entirely.

"-Or if I cause a massive ruckus. My, now that idea seems to be rather tempting, but I shall refrain myself for the time being."

Her playful and nonsensical attitude was essentially the same as he remembered. He couldn't help but feel nostalgic. The sudden kiss notwithstanding, he was glad that he was able to meet someone from his past life.

Then, one particular question popped into the boy's mind. He looked at Elizabeth, blinking a few times.

"How did you get yourself to Remnant," Makoto asked, "and why?"

Elizabeth tilted her head. "Oh? So this realm is called Remnant? How simple, yet inquisitive! I wonder what caused the reason behind the name in the first place!" Then, she focused on the boy standing in front of her. "But, I digress. This matter must be saved for another time."

Makoto nodded. "Yes, but you haven't answered my questions yet," he deadpanned.

"Ah, my bad," Elizabeth apologized. "Well, when I went to the Great Seal, I discovered that the soul powering the seal had been replaced by someone else. Unlike you, the current Seal was able to communicate with me, and she told me about your whereabouts. So I jumped through several alternate dimensions before I ended up here. And it seems that you've been reincarnated into this world, while maintaining your original appearance."

She studied Makoto's face carefully. "Ah, now that I may take a closer look, your hair seems to be a lighter shade of blue compared to before, and you're a few centimeters taller as well."

"Why did you come here?"

"Why? Well… because I want to be with you," Elizabeth said, answering Makoto's question, as if telling him that was the most obvious thing. "The voices in my heart told me that if I don't follow you, then I may regret it for the rest of my life." Her gloved hand reached out to stroke Makoto's cheek. "A great destiny awaits you in the near future, and it is my duty to assist you to reach out for it."

Makoto was silent for a moment before he closed his eyes. Then, he looked at Elizabeth, giving her a wry smile. "…Thanks."

"You are very welcome," Elizabeth replied.

Elizabeth lowered her gloved hand after she was done stroking his cheek.

"When I was hopping through the multiverse, I took a little while to smuggle this thing with me, in case you ever needed it," Elizabeth said before handing Makoto the holster in her left hand. He took it from Elizabeth, removing the device sheathed within.

"My Evoker," Makoto muttered in awe. The cold steel of the Evoker brought him a sense of nostalgia.

Makoto remembered the time when he first awakened himself to his Persona, his battles against the Shadows, his ascent of the malevolent tower known as Tartarus, his battle against the Nyx Avatar and countless other war stories.

As his fingers traced the word "SEES" on the metallic surface of the summoning device, he felt his other selves stirring deep inside him. All the different facets of his psyche, taking the shapes of ancient warriors, majestic beasts, holy and demonic creatures, godly beings and gods whose powers could destroy the world several times over, and many more, were ready to be unleashed for the world to see.

The calm swell in the sea of his soul was replaced, swept away by a raging tempest. The masks that he used to face the hardships in the world, the powers that could even bring the greatest to their knees, were once again ready to be brought out with a pull of his Evoker's trigger.

"Now, I wish you good luck. For the time being, I shall be waiting on the sidelines, watching over you. Whenever you wish to see me," the woman gave Makoto a mysterious smile, "I shall be there. Till we meet again, Makoto Yuuki. Farewell."

Elizabeth turned around and walked into a small crowd of other passengers, and once Makoto blinked, she was no longer there. There was no trace of the woman anywhere on the ship. For a while, he stood still before he sighed and wrapped the holster's belt around his waist. With an audible click, he adjusted the buckle of the belt before he brushed his new Evoker.

"Well, at least there's one thing to look forward to in the future, then," Makoto muttered. Having nothing better to do, the boy put his earphones and switched his music player on. Like most of his other possessions, they resembled the one that he had in his previous life, and there were a few songs that were quite interesting.

No Burn My Dread or Mass Destruction, though. What a pity. He quite enjoyed those songs back then.

Makoto glanced at Summer's daughters while he listened to some beats. There was nothing out of ordinary about them, from what the boy could tell. Yang was teasing her little sister affectionately. Just looking at their interaction made the stoic messiah smile.

Somehow, he also noticed that the younger sister was looking at him, her brows scrunched up. He felt examined in full under her attention.

When Makoto looked back, the red-clad girl immediately averted her eyes, shifting her focus somewhere else.

Ruby even tried whistling.

"Well, that was weird," he finally commented.

Shrugging it off as one of the girl's numerous quirks, Makoto continued listening to a song on his music player. He bobbed his head slightly as he closed his eyes, immersing himself in "Red like Roses".

It was a beautiful song, and beautiful songs were something that the boy genuinely appreciated. He looked forward to the second part in the future.

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 02: The Beacon**

Alongside the others, Makoto walked out of the ship as soon as it docked at the academy's entrance. Hands stuffed in his pockets, he looked at the enormous structure right in front of them. A few of the other passengers let out "oohs" and "wows" as they stepped through the entrance, with awe in their gaze at the sight of Beacon Academy.

Makoto had seen the pictures of the academy before from books and photos, but this was his first time seeing the real deal in front of his eyes. Signal Academy was completely miniscule in comparison.

There were other ships docking, dropping more passengers, and like him, they were students who were also invited to attend the school. He looked at the teenagers walking through the entrance before he glanced back at Beacon. For an academy specialized in training future Huntsmen and Huntresses, its students seemed very carefree.

Makoto shrugged. He had no right to criticize them. They were teenagers, so it was only natural for them to act childish and carefree.

"I feel like an old man already," he grumbled. Despite physically seventeen, mentally he was much older, possibly timeless as time in the collective unconscious had no flow or direction. He shrugged before he adjusted his earphones on his ears.

Continuing his walk, he saw Yang and Ruby again. Somehow Ruby was excited while looking at other students, or more precisely, their weapons. From the limited interactions that he had with the hooded girl, he knew that she was an extreme enthusiast with weaponry. Yang had to drag her away from swooning over a collapsible staff and blunderbuss hybrid owned by a girl who was also a student invited to the academy. The owner of that weapon could only blink in confusion as the strange girl was dragged away.

Thinking that he had nothing better to do before reaching the building, he continued observing the sisters, removing his earphones to focus on their conversation.

"Why can't you swoon over your own weapon?" Yang asked her sister. "Aren't you happy with it?"

Apparently, they were talking about Ruby's enthusiasm of weapons. Makoto had to admit, most weapons found in Remnant were very impressive. He once saw an axe that could shift into a Gatling gun and a sword that could shoot plasmic rounds. Such tools made him feel that his gladius-scimitar hybrid was rather inferior and lacking in comparison.

"Of course I'm happy with Crescent Rose!" Ruby answered before she took her weapon and unfolded it, transforming into its scythe mode. No matter how many times Makoto saw it, he couldn't help but be impressed.

"I just really like seeing new ones. It's like meeting new people, but better..."

She hugged her weapon. It seemed that her appreciation for weapons ran a bit more than what he had expected.

Makoto spent much of his time watching Yang and Ruby from a distance, and he could tell that Ruby wasn't an extroverted person. She was a kind girl, of course, and quite a pleasant one to converse with, but to him, Ruby seemed to favor weapons over people.

"Ruby, come on," Yang said, pushing down Ruby's hood over the younger girl's head. "Why don't you try and make some friends on your own?"

Removing her hood, Ruby pouted, or at least that's what Makoto assumed, based on her tone. "B-but… why would I need friends when I have you?"

"Well," Yang began before she spotted a few teenagers who were in their ship earlier. She waved her hand to call for them, and in an instant, the busty girl was swarmed. Apparently, they were Yang's friends. "Actually, my friends are here. Gotta go catch up. 'Kay, c'ya, bye!" And so, they dashed off, leaving Ruby in their dust, literally.

Left dazed, Ruby was dizzy-eyed and spinning. Makoto blinked owlishly a few times. Well, that was rather irresponsible for Yang to leave her little sister alone, but he figured out that she might have left her so that she could make friends on her own.

In her confusion, Ruby fell backwards onto a luggage cart, sending cases flying.

"Oww!"

Makoto winced as he saw the poor girl. There was a girl in white who stood above her. He saw a snowflake-shaped crest on the back of her jacket, which looked rather similar to his.

And then she screamed.

"What are you doing?!" Makoto winced upon hearing the girl's shrill voice. Ruby got up, supporting herself with her two hands.

"Uh… S-sorry!"

Seemingly unimpressed by Ruby's apology, the girl in white continued yelling at her.

"Sorry?! Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?!"

Ruby winced as she was berated by the white-clothed stranger. She absentmindedly picked up one case. Ruby had completely no clue as to why the girl was yelling. Sure, she may have made several mistakes by accidentally crashing into the cart earlier, but there was no need to be so mean.

"Uuuh…"

"Give me that!" The girl barked before she snatched the case from Ruby's hands, opening it to reveal a rainbow of vials. "This is Dust – mined and purified from a Schnee quarry!"

"Ah."

Makoto now understood why there was a similarity in their symbols. The girl was a Schnee: a distant branch bloodline of the Yuuki. Makoto assumed that she might be the current family heir, Weiss Schnee. While Schnee's family crest was white in color, the Yuuki's was a light blue.

"Uuuh…" Ruby was still too dazed to even say one word to the heiress.

"What are you, brain-dead?!" Weiss yelled at Ruby again. She took out one of the vials, holding it out as she closed the case, shaking it in front of other girl, the Dust spilling out without Weiss' notice. "Dust! Fire, water, lightning, energy!"

"I… I know…" Ruby said before she coughed from the particles spread her face.

"Are you even listening to me?! Is any of this sinking in?! What have you got to say for yourself?!" Weiss yelled as more and more of the precious material clouded them.

"Oh boy…" Makoto muttered to himself, expecting shenanigans. As expected, shortly after there was an explosion in the courtyard.

An explosion triggered by a sneeze, to be exact. Due to the Dust released, and the girl's sneeze, the Dust agitated to the point of combustion. Flames, snow, and lightning that were generated from the explosion hit Weiss in the face. The vial she was holding was thrown away due to the explosion, flying over the courtyard before landing at the feet of someone who was currently reading while sitting on a bench.

When the cloud caused by the explosion dissipated, an angry, soot-covered Weiss emerged. Miraculously, she was uninjured. Perhaps the Dust didn't generate enough force that could harm people, but still, nobody wanted to be covered in soot.

Shaking off the dirt, Weiss glared at Ruby, who twiddled her fingers in embarrassment.

"Unbelievable! This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about!"

Ruby fidgeted, looking embarrassed and apologetic. "I-I'm really, really sorry!"

"Ugh, you complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" Weiss asked, crossing her arms over her chest, eyeing the red-clad girl suspiciously. She was able to tell that Ruby was definitely younger than other students who attended the academy.

"W-well, I-I…" Ruby attempted to answer, but Weiss cut her off.

"This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you know! We're here to fight monsters, so… watch where you're going!"

While Makoto didn't really care about his distant relatives in this world, after finding out that his distant cousin was quite an irritating girl, he couldn't help but feel a little concerned.

Finally fed up, Ruby retorted, "Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!" Both girls were glaring at each other. Makoto was considering whether to interfere or not before someone else approached the two.

"It's heiress, actually."

Both Weiss and Ruby looked at the one who interfered and saw a girl in a black-and-white sleeveless outfit, with a bow on top of her raven hair. She held a vial that was thrown around from the prior explosion.

"Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. One of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world," the girl calmly continued.

Smiling smugly, Weiss crossed her arms over her chest, looking at the newcomer.

"Finally! Some recognition!"

But the new girl wasn't finished yet.

"The same company that is infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners."

"Wha-" Weiss was dumbfounded by the girl's statement, and Ruby giggled. "How dare you-" She glared. "The nerve of… ugh!"

Weiss went to the girl and snatched the vial away from her hand, walking off with a haughty huff as a few men in suits, probably her helpers, gathered her luggage and followed.

"I promise I'll make this up to you!" Ruby said to the departing Weiss, before she sighed. "I guess I'm not the only one having a rough first day… So, what's-" Ruby saw her savior walking off as well. With them gone, she collapsed to the floor on her back.

"Welcome to Beacon…" Ruby muttered dejectedly.

The girl with the bow walked towards Makoto's direction and brushed past him. Then she paused and stole a glance at him. The messiah saw the girl's amber eyes dilating slightly upon seeing him, and her brows furrowed. A few seconds later, the girl bowed curtly before finally leaving.

"Okay, that's weird…" She might have recognized him from somewhere, but he couldn't tell. After the girl was gone, Makoto looked back to the still grounded Ruby, noticing how lonely and miserable she was.

After spending an eternity of loneliness in the collective unconscious, Makoto understood loneliness far better than anyone. His promise to the mother Rose came back to forefront of his mind as well.

_"If you happen to see Yang and Ruby, could you take good care of them? Particularly my baby, Ruby. Sh-she's… She means everything to me, and I wish for nothing but her happiness."_

He never forgot her parting words.

Ruby was alone and on the verge of tears. Her mother would weep at her child's dilemma. Clicking his tongue, Makoto went over to Ruby, and his footsteps startled the girl slightly.

"Hey…" Makoto began, holding a hand for her support. "Can you stand?"

Ruby looked at Makoto's face before she took his hand.

"Y-yes…"

Pulling her up, Makoto helped the girl to stand. Makoto realized how small the girl was as she stood. He never noticed this before, considering that he rarely interacted with her directly and only observed her from afar, but she was short. Too short, in fact. He should have expected this since she was two years younger than him, but sometimes, he forgot that particular detail.

Ruby's hand was slightly callused, most likely from the use of Crescent Rose. Still, it was small. He was afraid that he might break her hand with a squeeze.

"Umm," Ruby's voice brought Makoto's attention back to her, "a-aren't you… umm… Makoto?"

"Yes. Makoto Yuuki. You remember me, right?"

Ruby nodded. "We're schoolmates." She smiled. "I-I'm Ruby Rose."

"I know, we talked to each other several times before. Do you remember that?"

"D-did we?" Ruby asked before she brought her knuckle to her brow, lightly tapping it a few times. "Oh, oh… oh! Yeah, we did!" She exclaimed before she realized that Makoto was still holding her hand as they spoke to each other.

"You want me to let go of your hand?" Makoto asked calmly.

"N-no- I mean, yes please!" She frantically answered. Makoto slightly smiled before he let go of the girl's hand.

"Umm…" Ruby fidgeted, seemingly unsure of what to say to the blue-haired boy conversing with her.

"You alright?" Makoto asked. "Since your sneeze was kind of explosive back then, I sure hope you didn't hurt yourself…"

"Y-you saw?!" Ruby gasped.

There was no point in lying.

"Everything."

"Uuuh…"

Seeing that Ruby was troubled and embarrassed, Makoto tapped her shoulder.

"Let's go. I have a feeling we have to gather somewhere. Probably at the auditorium." He took out a pamphlet from the pocket of his jacket. Makoto glanced at the girl and asked, "Are you coming?" He already taken a few steps away as he gave her that question.

"Y-yes!" Ruby answered before she trotted behind Makoto.

Ruby was silent as she followed the boy, but when Makoto glanced behind over his shoulder to see her, she fidgeted. She looked like she had something on her mind.

"Something troubling you?" Makoto asked.

"Eh?" Blinking a few times, Ruby stopped walking. "Umm…"

Turning behind him to face the girl, Makoto looked at Ruby as he put his hands into his pockets. "Don't worry. I'll listen."

"Umm… M-Makoto," Ruby began. "Why did you help me out back there? In the courtyard?"

The answer was obvious enough...

"Because I was there," Makoto answered. "And you looked like you really needed help, and it'd be wrong for me to leave you alone." He paused for a while. "It's only natural, I suppose."

"You helped me out because it's a natural thing to do?"

"You prefer me leaving you be?"

Ruby shook her head. "N-no, that's not what I mean," she said. "I mean, we hardly know each other, and yet…" she trailed off.

Makoto smiled. If only she knew the truth, then she would never say such a thing. He had known her name long before he was enrolled into Signal, and he had been observing her the whole time. While they were never close to begin with, Makoto still had a promise to fulfill.

"It's hardly a big deal," Makoto reasoned. "Even so, if you're still bothered by this, why don't we do this?" He held out his right hand. "Let's be friends."

"Friends?" Ruby looked at the hand held out by the boy in confusion.

"If we're friends, then you won't have to worry about why I helped you," Makoto rationalized the reason behind his suggestion. "You're having trouble making friends, right? If that's the case, then let me be your friend first. Then we'll work from there."

"I… umm…" Ruby hesitated as she looked at Makoto's hand.

Makoto smiled. "I won't force you, but we can't be alone forever, can we?"

Mulling over his words, Ruby took a deep breath before she looked at Makoto.

"Alright. L-let's…" She smiled bashfully before she shook Makoto's hand. "Let's be friends. A-and," she looked aside, bringing one hand to her face and scratching her cheek in embarrassment, "thanks, I guess." She then let go of Makoto's hand.

"It's only natural. That's what friends do, right?" Makoto said before he turned on his heel and started walking. "Come on, Ruby. We need to go to the auditorium."

"Right!" Ruby nodded before she followed Makoto. "Umm…"

"Anything else?" Makoto asked.

"W-well…" Ruby began, before she shook her head. "Nah, it's nothing."

* * *

Ruby didn't expect this kind of situation to happen. Sure, Makoto Yuuki was an acquaintance, but she never expected him to actually help her when she needed it most.

As she followed Makoto from behind while talking with him about a few things, mostly about weapons, she noticed the size of his back. She wasn't sure whether it was a trick of light, considering that Makoto's body was slim for his size, but she thought his back was rather large. She thought Makoto to be a person who might have carried a large burden upon his shoulders, more than one could ever imagine.

She had seen Makoto at Signal before. Ruby hardly spoke to him since her older sister, Yang, usually did all the talking. Makoto was considered one of the academy's best students ever to grace its halls, and she had seen him in action before.

Makoto's forms were… beautiful.

His weapon was rather simple compared to the others: a silver gladius without a sword guard that can split into twin scimitars. But the way he wielded it was a breathtaking sight to behold. He easily changed between tactics and the forms of his weapon without any hint of hesitation, showing no sign of fear even when faced with a greater adversary.

Ruby might be skilled in the arts of combat, but she could tell that Makoto was on a different level entirely, comparable to the actual, professional Hunters themselves.

Ever since she was little, Ruby aspired to become a Huntress, just like her mother. Ruby wanted to become a hero, or rather a heroine, who used her powers for the sake of the world, protecting it from the looming darkness which threatened it ever since the dawn of time.

Makoto was different.

He never aspired to be a hero. Instead, he was already a hero, at least in her eyes. The way he carried himself and the way he fought made it apparent for Ruby to say that Makoto Yuuki really deserved the title. Because of that, despite the fact that she really never interacted with the boy, she admired him.

Earlier, when they were on board the airship, Ruby glanced at Makoto, and much to her surprise, he was talking to a strange woman. Ruby thought that she might have imagined it, considering that she didn't really recall seeing her afterwards, but she still remembered the woman kissing Makoto on the lips. Actually, she wasn't really sure at all, and no one seemed to notice in the first place.

Despite that, she still had her suspicions. She tried asking Makoto but decided against it because she thought that she have been imagining it all along.

"Ruby, here we are," Makoto spoke. Ruby immediately looked at her surroundings, finding herself surrounded by a crowd. She didn't realize that both of them had already entered the auditorium.

"Whoa, so many people," she said in awe.

"Are you worried?"

"A little," Ruby answered. "Still, I've got you with me now, and it should be alright for me."

Makoto sighed. The girl was weird. "You need to think about making more friends, Ruby."

"Ah, y-yeah, you're right, ahaha…" Ruby laughed nervously.

Then, they heard a voice, belonging to a certain blonde girl who was waving at Ruby.

"Ruby! Over here! I saved you a spot!"

Seeing that as a cue for him to leave, Makoto walked away, not before telling Ruby they would meet again later after the ceremony.

"Y-yeah, see you later, Makoto." Ruby nodded before she went to Yang. Alone, Makoto stuffed his hands into his pockets again before finding a secluded area in the auditorium. It happened that the secluded place was near the corner. He still would hear whatever was said on the stage, so he leaned against the wall, yawning a bit as he adjusted the dark blue jacket he wore.

Then, he realized that he wasn't really alone. Not too far from him was the bow-wearing girl he saw at the courtyard, the one who saved Ruby from being lectured to death by Weiss. Like him, she was also leaning against the wall, reading a book.

"Hey," Makoto began, "you don't mind having me here, right?"

The girl looked at him, again in surprise.

"…Go on."

The girl spoke softly before she resumed her reading. Then she glanced at Makoto, particularly the collar of his jacket which bore his family crest.

Makoto was quick to realize this before he spoke, "In case if you're actually wondering, I'm not a Schnee. I'm a Yuuki." He tapped the small crest on his collar. "You can only imagine how many people get confused because of it. Also, does it look like I have white hair?"

"I see… and no, you don't," the girl said. As she continued reading, Makoto glanced at where Summer's daughters were in the corner of his eyes. He saw Weiss Schnee finding her way to yet again bully her poor victim, berating her over the incident that happened at the courtyard earlier.

Well, as long as no harm would come from it, Makoto saw no need to interfere.

He noticed that Weiss was pointing at him as she spoke to Ruby. He had no idea what the heiress was talking about, and he didn't really care.

However, he did not notice that Weiss took a double-take as she saw him. She narrowed her eyes, noticing a peculiarity.

All attentions were drawn to the stage, where the headmaster of Beacon stood readying the microphone, Glynda Goodwitch standing beside.

The headmaster was a man with tousled white hair, clad in clothes with different shades of green, along with a pair of round glasses. Makoto instinctively became wary of this man, due to his experience with another similarly eye-glassed man in his previous life.

Like Glynda, Makoto also remembered meeting this man prior, the headmaster of Beacon Academy, Professor Ozpin. Despite his wariness towards glasses-wearing adult males, he decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. He knew that he was being irrational when he compared him to Shuji Ikutsuki, but one could never be too careful.

Unlike Ikutsuki, Ozpin seemed to have no ulterior motives behind his actions. Nevertheless, Makoto would keep his guard up around the man.

"I'll… keep this brief," Ozpin began. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills. And when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction..."

Other students whispered amongst themselves about his words.

"You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step…"

Despite his wariness towards people like Ozpin, Makoto couldn't help but agree with what the headmaster said. There was more than just theoretical knowledge needed as Huntsmen or Huntresses. To be a Hunter meant that one had to possess courage and willingness to face the possibility of death without falter. It wasn't an impossible task to accomplish, considering that he himself had overcome his own fear of it, but the same couldn't be said about the others.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight. Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready," Glynda spoke as Professor Ozpin left.

The Huntress adjusted her glasses.

"You are all dismissed."

* * *

At night, all the students gathered at the ballroom, sleeping bags spread over the floor. It felt like having a massive slumber party. All the students were dressed on occasion: in pajamas and nightgowns.

With all the boys and girls sharing the same place to sleep in, shouldn't they be a little bit more cautious? Especially the girls? Makoto couldn't help but wonder about these things while seeing a female student, dressed in a some revealing sleepwear, getting into her sleeping bag while the male students around her blushed.

Even so, Makoto thought about Ozpin's speech back at the auditorium. Some students murmured about Ozpin not being his usual self. Usually, he was more affable and friendly. Makoto thought that the headmaster was tired from dealing with new students. Being a headmaster of a prestigious learning institute, it was already expected.

Makoto glanced out the window, looking at the broken moon in the night sky. His parents once told him that it was just part of its phase. That alone was proof that he was in a world completely different from what he was used to.

Makoto took the holstered Evoker from his side, weighing the summoning device with his right hand. Considering that he might terrify the other students if he used it, he decided that it would only be used as a last resort. Pointing a gun-shaped device on one's head could even frighten even the most seasoned of warriors in this realm, and he would rather avoid the situations in which he had to use it.

If the Evoker and the holster were his, then he might find something else that would connect him to his previous life. He looked into the holster and found something in the small pocket. It was a note, written in blue ink, about a recipe for making blueberry muffins. It was unimportant, but Makoto couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

He never thought a simple thing such as a blueberry muffin recipe could invoke such a feeling within.

Makoto then found a picture taken when the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad were on a field trip in Kyoto. It was cut to fit into the small pocket in the holster, but he could see some of his friends in the photo.

It was a picture of him, Junpei, Yukari and Aigis, standing near a shrine's lion statue.

While he would never say it, Makoto would always treasure the memories of his past life. He might have left them forever, but the precious fragments of his memories would always stay within him.

What were his friends were doing over there, in the world he saved?

Were they doing alright?

Had they been living their lives to the fullest?

Had they already moved on after his death?

Junpei was a bit of a knucklehead, but he was sure that he was fine with moving on. Did he manage to have Chidori remember him?

Yukari was a strong girl. Over time, even the most severe of broken hearts would be mended.

Fuuka, with her big and gentle soul that could even make the meanest of girls shed tears, might have moved on too.

Akihiko should already have moved on as well, his guilt and self-loathing absolved. He would wear his own weakness as armor, and he would never be hurt again.

Mitsuru found her salvation in her responsibility. In doing so, she might have already forgiven herself for the crimes she never committed. With that would come her peace.

Ken, who had lost his drive in life after finding the meaninglessness of revenge, should have discovered another reason to live. Ken might have been able to move on as well.

Koromaru didn't have to wait for him like his late master. A dog like him had to find another form of happiness. Loyalty was one thing, moving on was another, and the dog had every right to move on.

And Aigis… a miracle. A machine who grew a heart. He could only hope that she wouldn't abandon her newfound humanity after his passing and continued to watch over his legacy. With her memories of him in her heart, she would protect humanity in his stead, until her life shone no more.

There was a melancholic smile on Makoto's face before he put away his picture.

"I miss you guys… " the reborn messiah muttered. "I really do…"

Not too far away, both Ruby and Yang were fighting. Soon after, Weiss came to scold them for disturbing her sleep.

Makoto paid no attention as he resumed watching the broken moon in the night sky with a peaceful expression on his face.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello, it's me again, Prince Arjuna. Honestly, I was surprised because I managed to get more than twenty reviews for a single chapter. It was my first time getting too many reviews for only one chapter, you know? I don't know how to cope with this, considering that I used to get only a couple of them per chapter. As you can see, this chapter, which is Chapter 2, is rather short compared to the previous one, and it also followed the canon. Well, we can't deviate from canon storyline too early, right? I assure you that next chapter is where the deviation from canon starts. Also, I apologize to Jaune's fans out there because Makoto Yuuki will be taking his place, so Jaune may not appear in this fic. I honestly like the guy, actually, but someone has to go down for our rising star, you know?

Once again, I would like to thank **Tethriot** for beta-reading this chapter. It's so nice to work alongside you, buddy.

So, I hope you like this chapter, and like usual, feel free to leave some reviews. You do know that an author may die due to review's deprivation, right? Hence the reviews. See you guys again in the next chapter, **Chapter 03: The Initiation.**

Also, starting the next chapter, there will be a special section in the note. Roll the drums, everyone!

**Jaune Arc's Review Corner!**

Starting next chapter, the author will try to answer most if not all reviews sent for the story, and the section will be hosted by none other than our lovable dork, Jaune Arc! That's the least the author can do to make up for Jaune's absence in this fic. See you guys later!

**Prince Arjuna (2014)**

**Update: Chapter 02 revised (beta-read by Sorata Shioya)**


	3. The Initiation

Makoto woke up in the morning, put away his sleeping bag, and went to the bathroom to clean himself. Because of him being a heavy sleeper, he usually woke up late in the morning, but due to the day's event, he made sure that he could wake up earlier than usual.

After dressing himself up, the blue-haired boy went to the cafeteria to have his breakfast. Summer's daughters were nowhere to be seen. Thinking that they might be probably busy at the bathroom or whatever, Makoto shrugged his shoulders as he brought his plate of pancakes to the least occupied table.

Being the least occupied table wouldn't mean it wasn't occupied. There were a handful of students sitting there, enjoying their breakfasts. But because it was the least occupied table, it also meant that it wasn't as packed as the others. Makoto took his seat, right in front of another boy who was enjoying his breakfast in a rather composed manner.

Makoto cut his pancake with a knife and stabbed it with a fork. Then he brought the piece of pancake to his mouth, putting it in. The juicy flavor of the chewy bit was truly something to die for. As he enjoyed the pancake, he glanced at the boy in front of him.

Calm-looking and stoic-faced, Makoto felt like seeing himself in the mirror. Makoto noticed that the boy's black hair seemed to have a pink stripe on it. Was it the natural color of his hair? Or did he dye it? Makoto couldn't really tell. After all, blue hair was the Yuuki's natural hair color. Having multicolored hair in this world didn't seem to be off the mark.

Bringing another piece of pancake into his mouth, Makoto noticed another detail. There was a girl who was sitting beside the boy, and from what he could tell, the girl was the exact opposite of the boy. Energetic and overly excitable, the orange-haired girl, clad in white, sleeveless top and pink skirt was talking about something to the boy without showing any hint of stopping while at the same time, gobbling on her pancakes. Makoto couldn't tell what the girl was talking about to the boy because he was wearing his earphones, listening to "Mirror, Mirror", another song that managed to catch his attention besides "Red like Roses".

The boy also noticed that Makoto was looking at him, and in return, he gave the blue-haired boy a nod. Then he focused back on the food he was eating. Noting the sentiment, Makoto also focused on his food. One of his basic tenets of life was to never waste foods, and he had to make sure to finish the pancakes.

Once he was done, Makoto decided to retrieve his weapon, the gladius-scimitars hybrid, Memento Mori, at the locker room. Like many others, the weapons were to be stored there. As he walked down the hallway towards the room, an object on the floor stopped him.

Blinking a few times, Makoto bent down to pick up the object, a hardcover book. From the look of it, Makoto could tell that it was a novel. When he read the title on the cover, the reborn messiah raised one eyebrow.

"Shinobi… Romantica?" Makoto said the title of the novel. "I have a list of cheesiest titles of books inside my head, and I suppose this one can go at the top of that list." He opened the cover to see the first page, and curiously enough, there was the name of the author as well as the name of the owner of the book.

_Blake Belladonna._

Disregarding the last name, the name sure was androgynous enough. "Blake Belladonna, huh?" Makoto muttered to himself. He opened the pages, skimming over its contents. He figured out that the contents were questionable at best. Then he looked at the back of the book, seeing the tagline written on it. "The most sensational steamy romantic ninja fiction…" He blinked a few times. "Seriously? Who wrote this crap?"

As Makoto continued studying the novel, he heard a choking noise in front of him. He looked at the source of the noise and found the bow-wearing black-haired girl, whose eyes were widened in shock and locked at the book Makoto was holding. The girl opened her mouth a few times, but no words came out.

Makoto looked at the girl, then at the book, and then at the girl again, before he finally understood why she was there. "Blake Belladonna, I presume?" He asked after he removed his earphones.

The girl nodded weakly, her cheeks were tinged with redness.

"Is this your book?" Makoto showed the girl, Blake, the novel he was holding.

Cheeks getting much redder, Blake nodded again.

"You want me to give it back to you?" Makoto asked.

Blake looked away, as if trying to hide her flushed face from the boy, with small success. Weakly and hesitantly, she nodded.

"Got it." Makoto nodded before he handed the book to Blake. "Here you go. Be careful next time."

When Makoto returned the book to her, Blake was surprised. It felt like she didn't expect him to return the book to her. As she accepted the book, she immediately held it against her chest as her amber eyes stared at the blue-haired boy before her.

"…T-thanks," Blake spoke softly.

"You are welcome." Makoto nodded, smiling slightly. "See you around, Blake. Make sure to not drop it again."

"W-wait," Makoto stopped when Blake said that.

"Hmm?" Makoto looked at the black-haired girl.

"…Who are you?" Blake asked. "Your name, I mean."

"Ah. My name is Makoto Yuuki. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Blake Belladonna," Makoto introduced himself before he left to the locker room.

Blake remained standing there for a few moments. She closed her eyes, seemingly pondering about something, recalling about something from her past. She seemed like she was immersing herself in nostalgia.

"Makoto… Yuuki…?" Blake muttered the name of the boy. "I see…" She nodded a few times. "Finally." Her lips curled up into a small smile. "After all these years, I finally found you, Makoto Yuuki."

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 03: The Initiation**

Taking out Memento Mori from his locker, Makoto sheathed it on his waist. While Memento Mori was mounted on the left side of his waist, his Evoker was on his right. Other people would see it as a sidearm, and they wouldn't suspect anything about it.

Putting his hand on the pommel of his gladius, Makoto sighed. The initiation test would begin in just a few hours. Thinking that he might as well prepare himself, he thought about going out to get some fresh air. But before he could leave, however, he heard the sounds of footsteps approaching him.

"Hey there," a girl's voice said in friendly tone. Makoto looked at the one who approached him and saw the busty form of a blond girl in an outfit that exposed her cleavage. "Did you get a good night sleep last night, Mako?"

Makoto sighed. "With you and your sister making quite a commotion last night, I'm afraid I didn't, Xiao Long." He turned to face the girl, another girl who was also Summer's daughter, Yang Xiao Long. He remembered the mother Rose telling him back at the Collective Unconscious that the girl wasn't her biological daughter, but still considered her one regardless of that. "And didn't I already tell you to quit calling me that? My name is Makoto, not Mako."

The girl, Yang, chuckled. "Aww, don't be such a sourpuss, will you?" She leaned forward and the view of her cleavage became much clearer. Makoto blinked, unaffected by the blatant display of cleavage by the girl. "Geez, after all these years, you're still the same old you. You gotta stop acting like a 'mysterious, cool-looking guy', y'know? The appeal kinda wore off, just telling you that." She placed her hands on her hips as she said that.

Makoto rolled his eyes and shrugged. "I don't remember trying to appeal myself to anyone, Xiao Long, especially not to you. This is who I really am, just so you know."

Yang pouted before she pointed at Makoto. "There! That what I was talking about! Stop trying to look cool with that attitude!" Then, she sighed. "Oh well, I guess it can't be helped, then." There was resignation in her tone. "But at least try to act differently sometimes. I want to see something fresh, y'see?" The busty blonde grinned.

Makoto quirked one eyebrow as he looked at Yang. "You want me start prancing around, dressed in a tutu while singing about love and friendship, getting myself surrounded by birds and squirrels? Or even better, a bunch of technicolor ponies?"

For a moment, Yang was stunned. "Uh… now you're giving me mentally-disturbing images that require me to drink a few pints of brain bleach."

Makoto placed his hand on his chest before making an exaggerated bow. "Thank you for your patronage." He straightened himself. "Now if you'll excuse me, allow me to act like how I normally act, thank you very much."

Back at Signal, both of them were acquaintances. It's just that they liked exchanging sarcastic remarks to each other every now and then. To quote an anonymous schoolmate of theirs, their relationship was kinda sorta complicated.

Yang pouted. "Why are you so nice to Ruby, but so mean to me?"

Makoto tilted his head. "Do you want me to give you my honest answer about why I gave different treatments to both of you?"

Expecting something scathing, Yang shook her head. "Nah, I'm in no mood to hear your snarky answer today, thank you very much. Even so," she smiled, "thanks for helping out my little sis yesterday. Ruby told me about what happened yesterday, so… thanks."

Makoto shrugged. "It's only natural. I was there, so I helped."

"Getting humble all of a sudden, eh?" Yang slapped Makoto's back a few times. "Sometimes, it's kinda hard to pinpoint which one is the real you, Mako. You're like a puzzle, just one human, grumpy-looking puzzle, that is. You know what I mean, right?"

"You'll see the real me once you start calling me by my real name, Xiao Long," Makoto deadpanned.

Then, they heard the sounds of footsteps approaching them before they saw Ruby, already in her black-and-red dress, dark pantyhose and boots covering her legs. She was hugging her weapon, Crescent Rose, which was currently in its compact form.

"You're done, Rubes?" Yang asked her sister. "Well, it took much longer than I expected."

Ruby blushed slightly. "Yang… not in front of Makoto…" she said in hushed tone, prompting a question to pop out inside Makoto's head. Makoto figured that it might be something that shouldn't be asked to a girl, so he decided to keep the question to himself. "And good morning, Makoto!" She grinned at the blue-haired boy. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Makoto smiled before he brought his hand to ruffle the girl's hair. "Good morning, Ruby. Yes, I did. I got a little excited last night that I ended up falling asleep much easier than usual."

Ruby beamed happily. "That's good!"

Yang rolled her eyes. "The unfairness is strong in this one…" she muttered to herself, as if sulking.

Makoto glanced at the elder sister. "If you act like your little sister, you may probably get a pat on your head too, you know?"

"Nah, I'm good…" Yang shrugged. "By the way, Mako, what do you think about this upcoming test?"

"Hmm…" Makoto pondered about it for a little while. "Maybe they'll sort us into teams? At least my mother told me about team-forming before."

Ruby stiffened when Makoto mentioned the word 'mother', and Yang seemed rather concerned. He realized why she did that, and it happened that he also knew the reason behind why Ruby reacted strongly to such a word. He immediately coughed into his fist before he looked at Ruby.

"Putting that aside, what about you, Ruby?" Makoto asked.

"Hmm? Oh, well… I guess I get to let my sweetheart do the talking, ehehe…" Ruby stroked Crescent Rose in an intimate manner, giggling slightly.

Ruby was definitely a weird girl. Makoto was sure of that.

Yang sighed before she patted her sister's head. "Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together," she reminded.

Ruby pouted. "You sound like Dad!" She protested, pushing Yang's hand away from her head. "Okay, first of all: What does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly: I don't need people to help me grow up! I drink milk!" Ruby exclaimed proudly.

"But what about when we form teams? Shouldn't you start getting worried about that one if you don't want to meet other people?" Makoto asked.

"W-well… umm…" Ruby hesitated. "I dunno. I…" She looked at both Makoto and Yang alternately. "I'll just get either one of you to make a team or something?"

Both Yang and Makoto sighed in unison.

"Maybe you should try being on someone else's team for a change of pace?" Makoto suggested.

"B-but-"

"Alright, I should be going now. Xiao Long, Ruby, see you girls later," Makoto said.

"Hey, if you don't mind, you want to get on the same team as me?" Yang suggested to the blue-haired boy, and he halted himself.

"Yang!" Ruby made her protest known to her sister.

"Well, I don't mind…" Makoto shrugged. "But we don't know for sure if we get to decide who we're going to team up with, right? What's up with that question, Xiao Long?"

"You see, you're a pretty cool guy yourself, your snarky attitude notwithstanding," Yang noted. "We should hang out often, you know? And being in the same team kinda makes it easier."

"I'm a pretty cool guy, huh?" Makoto muttered. "I'm honestly flattered."

"So, what do you say?" Yang went closer to Makoto, waiting for his response.

"We'll see about that," Makoto told the girl. "Alright, see you girls later."

When Makoto left, Yang sighed.

"Seriously, that guy…" the busty blond girl muttered.

"Yang…" she heard Ruby's voice.

"Hmm? What's up, Rubes?" Yang turned to look at Ruby, only to see her pouting face. "Huh? Something wrong?"

"Hmph! It's nothing!" Ruby crossed her arms over her chest as she looked away.

"Huh?" Yang could only blink in confusion as her little sister acted in such an uncharacteristic manner.

* * *

Weiss Schnee was talking to another girl, an athletic-looking, red-haired one, attired in a strapless top and a miniskirt, as well as a drapery around her waist.

"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on?"

And apparently, the heiress was having a subtle negotiation with the red-haired girl so that she could get into the same team as her.

"I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!" Weiss added, adding subtle flattery in her words. Makoto, who was about to get out of the locker room, stopped himself as he overheard the conversation. Curious, Makoto tried to eavesdrop them from a distance, considering that his distant cousin was involved in this.

"Hmm… I'm not quite sure," the red-haired girl, Pyrrha, answered. "I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may."

"Well… I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together," Weiss suggested.

Makoto was curious. Why would she want this particular girl to be on her team? Well, one way to find out.

Continue eavesdropping, of course. Makoto was afraid that it might end up becoming a habit, a bad one, so he decided to lessen it in the future.

"Well, that sounds grand!" Pyrrha responded.

"Great!"

Makoto could tell that his distant cousin seemed to be scheming something. It probably wasn't as insidious as one could imagine it to be, from her expression and pose. Thinking that he should get away from any potential madness or shenanigan that could potentially happen anytime soon, Makoto turned on his heel and started walking away.

And right at the moment, Weiss broke out from her evil train of thought after hearing the noise of someone turning around, and she immediately looked at Makoto's direction. Due to his back facing her, she could see the snowflake-shaped insignia on the blue-haired boy's back.

"That symbol…" Weiss frowned. Then she did what she had in her mind. "Hey, you!" She yelled at Makoto, who immediately stopped upon being yelled at.

"Hmm?" Makoto glanced over his shoulder, looking at the frowning visage of Weiss. The heiress walked over to his direction, her hands on her hip. "You're calling for me?" He asked.

"Of course!" Weiss said. "Who else?"

Makoto shrugged. "I figured out you might be calling for someone else."

While Weiss was visibly irritated by his nonchalant attitude, Pyrrha approached them, smiling as she looked at Makoto.

"Ah, it's you…" Pyrrha smiled pleasantly to Makoto.

"Hmm?" Makoto frowned, looking at the red-haired athletic-looking girl. "Do you know me?" Now that he thought about it, the girl seemed rather familiar. He might have encountered her in the past during his time at Signal Academy.

"Of course," Pyrrha said, seemingly unoffended by Makoto's inability to remember her. "We met each other two years ago, during the Mistral Region Tournament at Sanctum. Do you remember?"

"Ah." Makoto hit his fist on his palm. He somehow finally remembered who the girl was, albeit barely. It was already two years since they met, so he might have problem recalling the meeting. And because his mind was too focused on getting stronger to fulfill his destiny, he couldn't properly remember the details of the meeting. "Pyrrha… Nikos, if I'm not mistaken?"

Pyrrha Nikos, the ace from Sanctum. Makoto didn't really follow all the current fads around the kingdoms, but he figured out that Pyrrha was somehow famous.

Soon, he might have to deal with his forgetfulness.

"Ah, I'm glad you haven't forgotten about me yet, Makoto Yuuki," Pyrrha said. "We competed against each other at that tournament. You were the toughest opponent I ever faced at that time."

Makoto smiled blandly. "Yet you still managed to mop the floor using the loser, namely me. Seriously, though, that was kind of thrilling. Fighting you, I mean. Not the part about being mopped on the floor."

Pyrrha chuckled. "Well, you haven't changed at all, have you?"

Weiss tried to interject. "Wha-"

"I am me. There's no reason to change who I am, right?" Makoto shrugged. "So, anything new happened to you? Like being featured on the cereal boxes or anything like that?"

"Wai-" Weiss tried again, and once again, unsuccessful.

Pyrrha giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Funny when you mention that, Makoto. I've been on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box since last five months ago."

"I should answer to my true calling as a soothsayer as soon as possible," Makoto said in deadpan tone. "Even so, that's pretty cool." Not everyone could get featured on the front of cereal boxes.

"Yeah, it was pretty cool, indeed. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you," Pyrrha spoke.

"I say-" the poor Weiss continued being ignored, much to her consternation.

"Actually, I'm a toast person…" Makoto told Pyrrha. "At home, we don't really eat cereal for breakfast. The best way to start a day for us is to have toasted bread spread with peanut butter."

"Ah, yes… not to mention that toast is much healthier than marshmallow flakes." Pyrrha nodded several times. "Even so, peanut butter can be unhealthy too. I suggest an alternative. Moonberry jam is the best substitute. It has a lower fat ratio compared to peanut butter, and not to mention much sweeter too."

"I see…" Makoto said, nodding. "I'll keep that in mind. Moonberry jam, huh? I don't think I can find those sold at the isle of Patch."

"Well, I assure you that you can find it here," Pyrrha said.

"Alright. Anything else I need to know?" Makoto asked. But before Pyrrha could answer, the ignored Weiss finally exploded.

"WILL YOU TWO STOP IGNORING ME?!"

Both Makoto and Pyrrha looked at the furious Weiss. "Ah, sorry, Weiss. I was just doing a catching-up with Makoto, I almost forgot you were here."

Weiss grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. This kind of event sure put a dent on her ever-perfect plan. "And you." She looked at Makoto. "Who actually are you? And what's up with the snowflake symbol on your back? Isn't that a Schnee's family crest you're wearing?" Her eyes then widened in realization. "Wait, Schnee's is white, but this one is blue. And your hair-"

Seeing no reason to hide it from Weiss, Makoto decided to make things easier to her. "My name is Makoto Yuuki. It's our first time meeting, but it's nice to meet you, cousin. Or… pleased to make you an acquaintance, my lady." Bowing dramatically, Makoto assumed the demeanor of a perfect gentleman, the one that he had learned during his past life, perfected in his current one.

Completely taken off-guard by Makoto's sudden display of perfect gentleman-like manner, Weiss studied Makoto's face. "M-Makoto… Yuuki? Cousin? W-wait, you're from the House of Yuuki?!"

"I'd rather call it Yuuki family since House of Yuuki sounds rather pretentious, but yes," Makoto said. "You know the Yuuki family, right?"

"Of course!" Weiss said. "The lineage of warriors and heroes, their legends are passed down from generations to generations! And on top of that, they are related to my family, the Schnee. How can I be ignorant of such knowledge?"

"So, that makes us cousins, I guess…" Makoto said.

Coughing into her fist, Weiss straightened herself. "W-well, I suppose a proper reintroduction is in order. My name is Weiss Schnee, the current heir of Schnee Dust Company." She introduced herself in polite and composed manner, a far cry from her previous attitude to him earlier. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Makoto Yuuki."

"The pleasure is mine." Makoto bowed. After straightening himself again, Makoto looked at both girls in front of him. "Well, we better get prepared for the initiation test. If you'll excuse me, I should be on my way."

"Let's meet up again once the test is over, shall we?" Pyrrha suggested. "We still have a lot of catching up to do." Then, she pondered about something for a while. "Even better, why don't we get on the same team?" She suggested.

"P-Pyrrha?!" Weiss looked at the red-haired girl, surprised.

"We'll see about that. Let the chips fall where they may, I guess?" Makoto said.

"Very well. I'll see you later, Makoto," Pyrrha told the boy.

"S-see you later as well," Weiss also said.

Bowing a bit, Makoto then left the two girls alone. Weiss was silent, as if thinking about something. Her hands were on placed on her chest, and she was looking at the floor.

"Something's wrong, Weiss?" Pyrrha asked.

"Huh?" Blinking, Weiss looked at Pyrrha. "Oh, it's nothing! We better get prepared too!"

Hurriedly, Weiss rushed away to prepare herself, leaving Pyrrha alone.

"What's up with her, exactly?" The red-haired girl muttered to herself.

* * *

Makoto was walking down the hallway when he was greeted by the sight of a woman, whose presence was not noticed by anyone else around the area. The blue-haired boy sighed, raising one of his hands in greeting.

"Ah, how nice to see you again, Makoto Yuuki," the woman, Elizabeth, greeted the boy with a pleased smile on her face. "I am very pleased that I still managed to reach you in time after sightseeing around this deliciously wonderful realm of Remnant."

Makoto looked at Elizabeth. "So, you're travelling from one kingdom to another in the mere span of one day, huh?" He sighed. "I'm not surprised, actually. It's rather typical of you."

Elizabeth giggled. "The local cuisines are truly something to die for! Sadly if I were to allow myself to enjoy all the cuisines, I will not be able to see you off for your initiation test. So, that was why I have to abstain for the time being…" she pouted slightly.

Makoto smiled dryly. "I promise I'll treat you something once I'm done with the test."

Elizabeth's expression lit up. "Is that a promise I hear? Very well, I shall hold on to your offer." She licked her lips sensually. "My, it sure brings quite a nostalgic memory, does it not? I believe they also sell mysterious takoyaki around the area as well. That is truly something to look forward in the future…" She giggled.

Then, Elizabeth's expression turned grim.

"However… much to my surprise, I also encountered the creatures which greatly resembled the Shadows back in your world," Elizabeth said, her tone sounded unusually serious. "Granted, they were a lot weaker than the Shadows, but still, the finding is quite disconcerting, to say the least…"

Makoto knew what Elizabeth meant. "The creatures of Grimm…"

After being reborn in Remnant, he managed to learn about these creatures, and his mother also threw him into a Grimm-infested forest for a night from time to time in order to train him. While it might seem irresponsible of her to casually throw her son into a forest filled with malevolent monsters of darkness, she also made sure that he would survive the training. And considering that despite his inability to summon his Personas due to the lack of an Evoker at that time, with the help of his awakened Aura, fighting skills, as well as the ability to use the powers of his Personas without physically manifesting them, he was able to survive being in the forest without much problem.

And because of the Grimm's affinity to darkness, Makoto was able to slay them quite easily by the clever usage of holy spells. By coating the blade of Memento Mori with Hama, he was able to kill a giant Ursa with just a slash.

"Perhaps it has something to do with you being reborn in this realm," Elizabeth speculated. "Even so, let us put this matter away for the time being." Her golden eyes studied the blue-haired boy before her. "It seems that you still have yet to lose your touch. The utilization of the power of the Wild Card... It is apparent that you are still quite adept with it."

As a Wild Card, Makoto was granted with the power of using multiple Personas, the facets of his other self, the masks that he used to face the world's hardships. Each Persona, or each mask, represented the different sides of his personality, and he could swap between the masks according to the situations presented to him.

"This is what I truly am…" Makoto murmured softly. "Shapeless, formless, but can be molded into anything. The power without boundary, the power of infinite possibilities, the Wild Card." There was a wry smile on Makoto's face. "Which one is the real me? Is it possible for one of the masks I wear to be less real than the others?"

"The nature of Wild Cards cannot be defined with something such as 'real' or 'false'. There is no real you nor false you. You are formless, yet you can take any form you like," Elizabeth stated. "The only thing that matters for you, the one who wields the power of infinite possibilities, is that you are responsible for all your actions you commit."

"I chooseth this fate of mine own free will…" Makoto said. "I am to be held responsible for all my actions, whether they become my path of enlightenment or my path of condemnation."

"Good. It seems that you still remember…" Elizabeth nodded, smiling in satisfaction. "Even so, it is still fascinating how easy it is for you to change between your masks. To one person, you donned the mask of a brotherly individual, while to another, you donned the mask of a shameless flirt." Elizabeth chuckled to herself after saying that. "And you also easily shifted into the persona of a gentleman-like, prince-like young man in front of another person. Truly, you change your masks as easily as you breathe."

"This is what I'm good at, so I cannot help myself…" Makoto shrugged. "Oh well, I should be going now. I'll see you later, Elizabeth."

"Farewell. I'm looking forward for our next meeting, Makoto Yuuki. And I wish you good luck for your initiation." And so, Elizabeth vanished without leaving any traces, and Makoto was left alone once again. Sighing, Makoto shrugged his shoulders again before he proceeded to walk down the hallway. A while later, Makoto, as well as the other students, heard the announcement made by Glynda Goodwitch via intercom system.

_"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."_

"Alright, I guess this is it." Makoto nodded to himself as he headed to his current destination: Beacon Cliff.

* * *

All the first-year students gathered at Beacon Cliff, standing on the silver tiles on the ground while both Professor Ozpin and Glynda stood before them. In the headmaster's hand was his coffee mug. Now that Makoto thought about it again, the first time he met Ozpin, there was also a coffee mug in his hand.

He probably liked his coffee, Makoto assumed.

There was a forest just below the cliff, and Makoto assumed that the initiation test would be carried out there. Well, he experienced much worse before, when Kotone practically punted him into a Grimm-infested forest in order to spend the whole night there, armed with only Memento Mori and supplied with a few cans of dried fruits.

"For years, you all have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest," Ozpin began, his voice sounded stern and serious. When he took a sip of his coffee, the bespectacled Huntress beside him, Glynda, spoke.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'teams'. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates… today."

Makoto probably was imagining it, but he thought that he might have heard Ruby's voice gasping after hearing what Glynda had told them.

Then, Ozpin spoke, "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."

Makoto thought that he should stop imagining things because he believed that he might have imagined hearing Ruby's groans.

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years," Ozpin said, adding a punchline.

"Whaat?!" Makoto could clearly hear Ruby's voice. He imagined that her world might be crumbling to pieces upon hearing what Ozpin said earlier.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path… or you will die," the headmaster told the students, giving them a warning along the way. It was only natural. Being Hunters required one to be able to show no hesitation in the face of death. "You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and then you will be graded appropriately. Are there any questions?"

All the students remained silent, determination and excitement seemingly apparent in their expressions.

"Good!" Ozpin nodded, seemingly pleased. "Now, take your positions!"

All the students readied themselves as they stood on the silver tiles on the ground. Makoto unsheathed Memento Mori, holding it in one hand. If his assumption was right, then he might require a landing strategy.

Sure enough, soon after that, students were launched away into the forest via the tiles, which were the springboards. One by one, the students were launched. A certain Yang Xiao Long also put on a pair of aviator shades before being launched by the springboard.

As more students were launched, Makoto took a look at the face of the headmaster. Sure enough, there was a smirk of satisfaction on his face.

Of course, who else wouldn't want to launch his students into a forest below using springboards?

Already having his landing strategy, Makoto lowered his body as his turn approached. He braced himself as the platform under his feet finally activated, launching him high into the air. He thought that this was better than getting himself punted by his own mother from a cliff into the Grimm-infested forest below.

In midair, Makoto immediately took out his Evoker. Now that all the other students were focused on their landing strategies, he thought that nobody would see him using this device. He brought the barrel onto his temple, feeling the cold steel touching the side of his head before he pulled the trigger.

Makoto could feel a surge of power as an azure light enveloped his whole body. Other students seemed preoccupied with their strategies, they might have missed him shooting himself on his head.

"Thanatos."

He could feel a figure starting to form before he felt a pair of strong, cold arms holding his body. The figure did not take a corporeal form, but Makoto could see the draconic visage of the personification of Death, cradling him with both hands as he started descending.

With the help of Thanatos, Makoto was able to land safely into the forest. He could use other landing strategies, but he wanted to test out whether he could use his Personas or not. It looked like he was still able to do so.

As he landed on his feet, Makoto glanced at Thanatos, who immediately dissipated. Tightening his grip on Memento Mori, Makoto rushed forward, aiming for his objective.

Find a partner and go to the northern end of the forest.

As he ran, he encountered a pair of Grimms, the Ursai. These creatures of darkness took the shapes of bears, only with black fur and bony spikes protruding out of their backs and arms. They also wore skull-like masks over their faces, with red detailing on them. They looked at him with their glowing crimson eyes, as if seeing dinner.

Wordlessly, Makoto assumed a fighting stance, both his feet spread out as he held his gladius in one hand. He sheathed his Evoker back into its holster.

One of the Ursai rushed towards him, intending to maul him with its claws. Nimbly, Makoto avoided the attacks before he retaliated, cutting through the Ursa's body with a slash through its bulky torso. A white trail was formed as he swung his sword.

The Ursa roared in pain. The sword managed to cut through its body as easily as cutting a block of butter. Makoto's blade let out sizzling noises as it radiated a white, hot glow.

Being creatures of darkness, the Grimms sure were weak against Hama-infused attacks.

He followed up with another attack, this time to decapitate the Ursa. With just a single swipe, the Ursa's head was separated from its body, rolling onto the ground. He kicked the headless body, sending it tumbling down. He looked at the remaining Ursa, a grin spread on his face. He rested his sword over his shoulder, looking at the remaining Grimm. Somehow, the bear-like monster took a step back, a behavior unusual for creatures like it.

"Now, you want to get some?"

Makoto made a "bring it" gesture to the Ursa, beckoning it to attack him with everything it got.

After all, the show's just getting started.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello, it's me, Prince Arjuna. I'm sorry for the late update. So, this chapter is more about the interactions between the characters, particularly between Makoto and RWBY girls, as well as Pyrrha. This chapter also showcases Makoto's Wild Card ability that is used during mundane situations, like how easily he changes his personality according to the situation. That is the definition of the Wild Card; formless yet can be molded into any forms or shapes. Please expect an action-packed chapter after this, and of course, Happy Holidays, everyone. Also, special thanks for **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter. Nice to work alongside you, my friend. See you guys later in the next chapter, **Chapter 4: The Test. **

**Jaune Arc's Review Corner**

Prince: Please welcome, Jauuuuuuune... Arc!

Jaune: Heya. It's so good to be here.

Prince: So good to have you here too, Jaune. So, how do you feel about being replaced by someone.

Jaune: Nah. (shrug) It's not a big deal. Well, it still kinda sucks, but what can I do about it? You're the one who replaced me with that Makoto guy.

Prince: So, do you have any complaint about that?

Jaune: Complaint, huh? Well, maybe I got a few shares of complaints, but after learning about what happened to this Makoto guy, I guess he kinda deserve this. I mean, he's an even better hero than me.

Prince: Wow, you're kinda humble in this one.

Jaune: What can I say? You're the one who write me this way. Plus, I don't wanna act like a spoiled brat just because someone replaced me.

Prince: Oho? Well, alright. Let's get on to business, shall we?

_**Sooo...what happened to Jaune? Like, in the story, not metaphysically. -_-'**_

Jaune: What happened to me, huh? Well, let's just say I got busted before I can get into the ship?

Prince: Ah, you used forged documents in the original series, right?

Jaune: Y-yeah... uh, next?

_**One does not simply declare himself a Messiah, and as he does just that I want to cringe. I am a firm believer in "No wise man would ever call himself a wiseman" policy, so the parts where he reefers to himself as Messiah is just silly.**_

_** On other hand, thank you. As I thanks to this story will most likely be forced to catch up to RWBY(stopped at second season after episode two as I wanted to marathon it like I did with season one).**_

Jaune: Ah, I can answer this one. Actually, this Makoto guy called himself a Messiah because of Summer calling him one. It's like 'you call me a Messiah? Alright, then.' Because it's essentially true, so, why not? He acknowledges his role as a savior, so if people call him that, why would he deny it?

Prince: You think you can be a Messiah too, Jaune?

Jaune: W-well... I dunno. So, next.

_**Good story**_  
_** Will you give makoto nihil equip?**_

Jaune: Nihil equip?

Prince: It's Makoto's special equipment in the game.

Jaune: Oh. Well, you'll see about that.

Prince: So, since there are no other reviews that seem important enough to answer, let's end this show.

Jaune: Thanks for reading and reviewing Messianic Rebirth! We'll see you guys in the next chapter!

Prince: In the next Jaune Arc's Review Corner, we'll have one special guest! Look forward for it! See you guys later! And Happy Holidays!

**Prince Arjuna (2014)**


	4. The Test

For Lie Ren, he couldn't exactly call himself good at reading other people. If anything, he would prefer reading something else, like books. For him, he looked at people for what they seemed to be, not for what they truly were underneath. It was unnecessary for him to try to understand what was beneath the masks people presented to others in real life because they themselves wanted to show the masks rather than the faces behind them.

He really should stop getting philosophical at the tip of a hat because he really needed to focus on his landing strategy. One by one, other students were launched from their platforms into the forest below the cliff. Holding his weapons in his hands, he braced himself as his turn approached. When he was finally launched, he spread out his arms, letting himself soar in the air before gravity started taking over when he descended down towards the forest below.

Yes, if the green-clad boy were to be completely honest, reading others wasn't really his forte. Even so, the moment he saw the blue-haired boy back at the cafeteria who was sitting at the same table as him during breakfast, he couldn't help but notice the peculiarity of that one particular boy.

There was something strange about that boy, and such strangeness caused Lie Ren to break his habit of not trying to discern what was underneath the faces that people presented to others. There was something in the boy's eyes, or rather, the boy's uncovered eye (his other eye was covered by his blue bang), that piqued Ren's curiosity. It felt like the boy had seen some things more than what a person of his age should have seen.

Lie Ren could tell that the boy was different, completely different compared to the other teenagers who came to Beacon. The way he carried himself, the way he presented himself, the air around him, all of them made him seem to be on a completely different level compared to other students. For someone like Ren to be able to see such a thing, it was definitely an accomplishment, considering that he himself admitted that the skill of reading others wasn't really his forte.

Even so, Ren really should stop getting distracted by thinking about others as he was descending towards the forest below. Shaking his head so that he could focus on his landing strategy, he braced himself. He could tell that other students might have prepared themselves with their landing strategies, and he figured out that his childhood friend, Nora Valkyrie, might not be too far from where he was going to land.

He didn't really care if he ended up being on the same team with other students, but he preferred being with Nora. It's just that they were already together for a long time, mind you. It's not like they were together-together, just to be clear. As childhood friends, both he and Nora had known each other for a long time, and there was no special reason for him wanting to be on the same team as her. Absolutely no special reason at all. And he also couldn't help but worry that if he ended up having to team up with someone else, then the same also could be said about Nora.

He could only hope that whoever ended up being on the same team as Nora would be someone who could endure her constant talking about pancakes and some other things. For all he knew, not everyone had the same constitution and endurance as him.

Well, enough about Nora, as Ren was about to execute his landing strategy. Spinning in the air several times, he used the blades of his weapons, Storm Flowers, to spiral down a large trunk of tree before finally landing. After hitting the ground, Ren immediately straightened himself up and brushed off his clothes.

The green-clad teenager looked at his surroundings, noting that there were no other students around him.

"Now, to find Nora…" Ren muttered before he dashed forward. With his dual-bladed pistols in his hands, he prepared himself for any assault that might come to him. He could feel the presence of Grimms in the forest, pairs of eyes staring and glaring at any signs of living, waiting for the right moment to pounce at their victims. The boy knew that they were obstacles to be faced in this test. He, as well as the others, had to be careful. Carelessness would result in death, usually in messy and gory ways.

As he walked, he was able to hear the sounds of something slithering. Something big, and probably dangerous. The green-clad boy tightened his expression as well as his grip on Storm Flowers. He could tell that whatever caused the sounds, it was nearby. He narrowed his eyes before he looked behind, and saw a gigantic serpent rising from its hiding.

The black, reptilian monstrosity then tried to coil around Ren, and the boy immediately adopted a fighting stance, keeping his weapons in his sleeves. The snake opened its maw, revealing its sharp, long fangs before it went to attack the boy with them.

Before the attack could hit, however, Ren managed to get himself out of the way, and the monster tried to attack him again. Nimbly, Ren evaded its attack. There was barely any change in his expression as he dodged all the attacks the snake hurled at him.

Ren immediately drew out Storm Flowers from his sleeves and shot a barrage of bullets at the snake's head. The monstrous serpent let out hissing noises, having chunks of its flesh blown away by Ren's attacks. In retaliation, it tried to attack Ren again by slamming its already injured head onto him, and the boy managed to dodge the attack yet again before he drove the blades of his weapons into the serpent's head.

Behind him, there was another serpent, white in color, ready to attack from behind while Ren was preoccupied with the black one. When Ren finally noticed its presence, the white serpent launched itself towards him, and he jumped back, dodging its attack. Now having to face two adversaries at the same time, the green-clad boy let out a grunt before he dropped his weapons and raised both hands, assuming a fighting stance.

"King Taijitu…" Ren recognized the type of monster he was facing against. Taking the shape of a snake with a head on each end of its body, it was one of the larger Grimms that could be found in Remnant.

The white half of the Grimm lunged at Ren, and the boy prepared himself for its attack. It opened its maw, and judging from the size of its opened mouth, it could swallow him whole. When the white half of King Taijitu was getting closer to Ren, he raised his right foot slightly. Then, when the Grimm was about to swallow him whole, he stomped on the lower part of its mouth as he struck the upper part with a palm strike. His palm let out a faint pink glow as he did that.

A cracking sound was heard when Ren delivered the palm strike. But the moment when Ren struck on the white half of King Taijitu's jaw, the black one lunged from his side, slamming its body onto his. The slam managed to throw him away from the white one's maw.

"Urgh!" Ren immediately steadied himself after being hit, grunting a bit. Kneeling on the ground, he felt like there was something in his left hand. He looked at it and saw a sharp, bony object, and he recognized it as the white half of King Taijitu's fang that he somehow unintentionally grabbed upon being body-slammed by the black one. Immediately, he held the fang like a knife in a reverse grip position and braced himself as the white one lunged at him, aiming to crush him with another slam. Somehow, the makeshift weapon he was holding seemed to be glowing.

This time, he was prepared. Holding the fang in one hand, he sidestepped from the Grimm's attack before he stabbed its eye using the fang in his hand. With another push, he drove the fang deeper into the Grimm's skull.

The attack caused the head to ripple and expand before the head blew apart, leaving only its headless body falling onto the ground. However, the black sludge that came from the destroyed head hit Ren's eyes, blinding him. That alone was enough for him to not notice the black one coming over his way, intending to crush him with an attack.

But, before it could reach him, a scimitar pierced through its skull. The curved sword was thrown by someone not too far from Ren, a boy with blue hair, clad in a black blazer with a blue snowflake-shaped insignia on the back. In his hand was another sword identical to the scimitar that pierced through the Grimm. The Grimm fell to the ground mere seconds after being stabbed.

"Heh…" Hhe blue-haired boy flicked his wrist, and the scimitar flew back to him. A reeling sound was heard as the scimitar returned back to his hand. He placed both scimitars together, and the sounds of interlocking steels were heard before both swords merged into a single gladius.

After Ren wiped the sludge off his face, he realized that he was saved by someone. He looked at his apparent savior, who was looking at the dead King Taijitu before he furrowed his brow. He recognized the boy as the one who was sitting at the same table as him during breakfast.

"Ah, it's you…" the blue-haired boy recognized Ren. "You're the one with the pancake girl back at the cafeteria." He approached the green-clad boy after sheathing his gladius, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Pancake girl?" Ren frowned before he realized that he might be referring to Nora. Well, that's certainly one way to call her, alright. "Ah, yes. Thank you for the save," he said.

The blue-haired boy shrugged. "It's only natural." As he looked at Ren, he then said, "So, since we're the only ones here, that makes us teammates, right?"

Ren pondered about it for a moment. Well, while he preferred to be on the same team with Nora, he also didn't really mind being on the same team with someone else, especially when that someone else was able to defeat a King Taijitu by just throwing a sword at it.

"I suppose you're right," Ren said before he smiled. When the blue-haired boy held out a hand, Ren took the hand, shaking it. "My name is Lie Ren."

"Makoto Yuuki."

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 04: The Test**

Meanwhile, at some other part of the forest, another pair of students had formed a team. One of them, an orange-haired girl attired in a sleeveless white top and pink knee-length skirt, was skipping happily while the other one behind her, a red-haired girl armed with a spear and a round shield, just followed the skipping one. A while ago, they found each other while the orange-haired girl was fighting against a pack of Ursai, and they ended up having to team up to destroy all of the Grimms.

The red-haired girl, Pyrrha, let out a sigh as she wore a weary smile. While she preferred being on the same team with one particular person, she didn't really mind being on the same team with this girl either. The girl, Nora Valkyrie, despite her tendency to talk nonstop and her energetic and bubbly attitude, Pyrrha didn't really mind her at all.

"And Ren said sloths don't make any sounds, and that's why it's the perfect plan!" Nora exclaimed. "We didn't get to be on the same team, though."

Pyrrha felt like it was her fault that Nora was unable to execute her ever-perfect plan. "I'm sorry that I intervened before you could use your plan, Nora."

Hearing Pyrrha's apology, Nora glanced over her shoulder as she stopped walking. "Nah, it's okay! I don't mind teaming up with you too, Pyrrha! Both you and I, together, we're gonna be unstoppable!"

Pyrrha smiled. Teaming up with this girl wasn't so bad, after all.

As they walked, they heard the sounds of throaty growls before a pair of black beasts emerged from the bushes. Bony spikes could be seen protruding out of their bodies, their faces covered by white masks with ominous-looking red linings. The bear-shaped monstrosities let out beastly roars as they looked at both girls.

"You take the left, I take the right," Pyrrha said calmly, preparing her weapons.

"Sounds good to me!" Nora replied cheerfully, holding her weapon, a grenade launcher, with both hands. "Wanna see who's gonna finish first?"

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Pyrrha asked, glancing at her teammate, smiling confidently. "If it is, then I won't lose!"

Both the Grimms, the Ursai, launched themselves towards both Pyrrha and Nora, and both girls jumped aside opposite each other. The spear-wielding red-haired girl rolled on the ground a few times before she straightened herself. She put her round shield on her back before she held her spear with both hands. With a click, the spear shifted into something else, and the sounds of steels sliding against one another could be heard. With another click, the spear had turned into a rifle, and she aimed the barrel at the approaching Ursa.

As for Nora, she fired a round of a grenade towards another Ursa, but it was more like a warning shot or a diversion, because as soon as the grenade was launched, the orange-haired girl launched herself forward, her rocket launcher changing its shape into a hammer. The first shot managed to rattle the Ursa, and Nora took her chance to deliver a surprise attack by slamming the hammer onto the Ursa's head. The hit was enough to crush the bear-like Grimm's head, black sludge splattered everywhere as the fragments of its white mask scattered on the ground.

"I win!" Nora declared. "Did you see tha-" She turned around to see Pyrrha standing over a dead Ursa as she pulled out her spear from its hide. It looked like she had defeated the Ursa without exerting much effort.

"It's a draw., Pyrrha said, smiling as she looked at her teammate.

After they were done battling the pair of Grimms, they continued walking towards the direction of their destination, as per Ozpin's instruction. They had to arrive at the temple and retrieve the relic.

"By the way, Nora…" Pyrrha said to Nora as she walked alongside her. "Are you sure this is the direction we should be taking?" She asked.

Nora nodded. "Of course!" She continued walking.

Pyrrha was a little unsure, but she believed that Nora might be right. As they walked, she glanced over her shoulder a few times.

If she were to be honest, she would rather be partnered up with one particular person. She had her own reasons for wanting such a thing, but she figured that she shouldn't be too choosy regarding this matter. She had no problem teaming up with Nora, and they were able to interact with each other cordially.

"Hmm?" Nora noticed that Pyrrha seemed to be thinking about something. "Something's bugging you?"

Blinking a few times, Pyrrha shook her head. "No, there is nothing. Sorry for making you worry, Nora."

She couldn't exactly blame Nora for being there. It's probably fate that they were on the same team together. Well, it's not like being on different teams meant they were unable to meet each other again. They could do some catching-up whenever they wanted. At least, that's what she believed.

Without her realizing it, her grip on her spear tightened as she walked behind Nora, following her.

* * *

"Alright… I got this. I'm sure I-"

"Leave 'em to me!"

"W-wait! Ruby, don't- eep!"

Woosh!

"Whoa! Hey, are you trying to roast me, Weiss?!"

"Shut up, dimwit! You're the one who stood in my way!"

Needless to say, Weiss wasn't having the best time of her life. Her ever-perfect plan was blown to smithereens the moment she locked her eyes with a certain hooded girl in red.

* * *

"Hmm?"

Blake Belladonna stopped walking, glancing over her shoulder, as if hearing something. The bow-wearing girl blinked a few times, and her teammate, the one she met a few minutes ago, Yang Xiao Long, also stopped walking, looking at her, seemingly concerned.

"What's up, Blake?" The busty blond girl asked, placing one hand on her waist as she looked at Blake. The raven-haired girl didn't talk much and rarely showed any signs of emotions, and now that she seemed to be concerned over something, Yang couldn't help but be curious.

"Did you hear that?" Blake asked.

"Hear what?" Yang tilted her head.

"I thought I heard your sister's voice," Blake said. Then, she closed her eyes, thinking for a few moments. "And… Weiss Schnee's voice too."

"Are you sure?" Yang looked at the bow-wearing girl as she raised one eyebrow. "I didn't hear anything."

Blake brought one hand to her chin, seemingly mulling over something before she let out a soft sigh. "I probably just imagined it," she said. "Let's go. We have to reach the temple and get the relic."

"Aye, aye," Yang replied.

And so, both girls continued walking through the forest, with the temple as their destination in mind.

"Yang…" Blake spoke.

"Hmm?" Yang looked at Blake, a little startled when the quiet girl somehow started a conversation with her. "What's up, Blake? Whose voice are you hearing this time?"

"No, it's not that…" Blake shook her head, scoffing at the blond girl for the joke she made. "Are you friends with Makoto Yuuki?"

"Eh?" Yang blinked a few times, looking at Blake, not expecting the question. "Oh, uh… well, he's a schoolmate back at Signal, is all. I think we're kinda sorta friends, uh… I think 'acquaintances' is the right word here." Back at Signal, despite the ribbings they made to each other, ultimately they were just mere acquaintances, schoolmates who only interacted with each other while at school.

"Acquaintances…" Blake stroked her chin, as if deep in thought.

"By the way, 'sup with that question?" Yang asked. "Do you know Makoto?"

"…It's nothing," Blake replied, but it was clear that she was mulling over something.

Yang raised one eyebrow. The way Blake phrased her reply to her seemed awfully suspicious. "C'mon now, Blake. We're teammates now, you see? We don't have to keep secrets now that we're on the same team!" She said, grinning at the bow-wearing girl.

Blake frowned and looked at Yang. From the look on her face, it was clear that she was trying to find the right words to say to Yang. A few moments later, she let out a sigh. "Let's not talk about this…"

"Oh," Yang figured that Blake might need some time. "Oh well, I ain't forcing you."

As they walked, they finally reached the clearing where they saw the ruined temple half a kilometer away from them.

"Looks like we're here., Yang said. "Let's find the relic and get this over with."

"Right." Blake nodded before they started walking towards the temple. But then, the bow-wearing girl stopped walking in all of a sudden. "Do you hear that?"

"Hmm? Hear what?" Yang asked. "Eh?" This time, she also heard something. "Yeah, I think I hear that." She looked around her. "Where are those noises coming from?"

"Up…" Blake said, looking up.

"Up?"

Both girls looked up and saw a pair of giant black birds flying in the sky, circling around each other.

Blake's bow on top of her head twitched.

"What the hell?!"

Eloquently, Yang perfectly described the state of their minds as they saw a pair of gigantic avian monstrosities in the sky above them.

Then, the state of their minds could no longer be described in words as Ruby Rose fell from the sky.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the other part of the forest, both Pyrrha and Nora were seen walking out of the forest, going to the clearing. They looked at their surroundings to see the temple which should be their destination.

"I'd hate to say this, but I believe that we're lost," Pyrrha said. "There's no temple nearby. Except a cave." She pointed at the cave not too far from them. "Which is decidedly not a temple."

"Really?" Nora tilted her head innocently. "Hmm…" She put her finger under her chin, as if thinking about something. "Well, maybe the temple is in the cave?" Nora suggested.

"Why would a temple be in a cave?" Pyrrha asked. "It doesn't make any sense!"

"It's a test?" Nora reasoned.

Pyrrha's eyebrow twitched before she glanced at the cave, then she looked back at her teammate. Somehow, the reasoning seemed to make sense, despite how ridiculous it sounded.

"C'mon, Pyrrha! Let's check it out!" The cheerful orange-haired girl urged.

Pyrrha let out a sigh of defeat. "Oh well, let's just take a look into the cave, then." She smiled. "If there's no temple inside, we can just go to other direction."

She looked at the entrance of the cave again.

"I mean, what's the worst thing that can happen to us if we take a look into this cave?"

A while later…

Both Pyrrha and Nora were running away from a giant scorpion that they somehow found in the cave. Pyrrha fired a few shots at the scorpion, but the bullets just bounced off its thick shell.

"I take what I said back," Pyrrha spoke, firing a few more shots before she continued running. "This is the worst thing that can happen to us." To be fair, she sounded rather calm for someone who was chased by a giant scorpion.

"There's no temple in the cave," Nora stated the obvious after firing a round of a grenade at the giant scorpion that was pursuing them.

"Yes, no temple in the cave." Pyrrha nodded.

"Run to other direction?" Nora suggested.

"Run to other direction." Pyrrha nodded again.

And so, both girls continued running away from the scorpion. They could only hope that they could manage to tire it out before they reached their destination.

* * *

Both Ren and Makoto walked through the forest, carefully observing their surroundings to make sure that they would not be ambushed by the Grimms. Makoto's hand was on the pommel of his sword, while Ren broke the branches that were in their way.

Makoto glanced at Ren. From what he could tell, the green-clad teen was a quiet one. While he didn't really mind the quietness, things might get dull pretty fast if any of them remained quiet.

"Ren," Makoto began, breaking the silence. "About that pancake girl…"

"You mean Nora?" Ren told Makoto the name of the pancake girl. "Nora Valkyrie?"

"Ah, yes. Nora." Well, considering that he already knew the name of the pancake girl, there would be no need for him to refer to her by her nickname. "What's your relationship with her? You two don't seem to be related."

Ren blinked. Out of all questions, he asked him that one particular question? "…She's a childhood friend," he answered after a few moments of consideration.

"I see…" Makoto mused.

Both boys continued walking in silence.

"Makoto…" this time, Ren was the one who spoke. "Your weapon." He pointed at the gladius sheathed on the blue-haired boy's waist. "It can fly back to your hand?"

Earlier, he saw the sword flying back to its wielder's hand after being thrown. He also heard the reeling sound as the sword returned to its owner.

"This?" Makoto unsheathed Memento Mori. "Actually, no. It has thin wire that connects the separated parts. Whenever I throw one sword, the wire will reel it back to me. Maximum distance is about six hundred meters." He smiled wryly. "It somehow compensates for the lack of firearms. It allows me to fight in short range and medium range."

"Is that so?" Ren looked at the gladius, curious. Sure enough, the design of the gladius seemed simple, but with the thin wire attached to the separated parts of the sword, he would be able to use the sword from a distance. "Does it have a name?"

Makoto nodded. "Memento Mori." He looked at the jagged side of the sword.

Ren raised one eyebrow. "Memento Mori? What's the meaning behind that name?"

"It means that all living things are mortals," Makoto explained. "It's a phrase to remind us that we will eventually die. No matter who or what we are, Death awaits us." He sheathed back the sword.

"I see…" Ren mused. As a future Huntsman, he knew the risks that came with the job, death being one of them. "So, you use your weapon as a reminder of your mortality, then?"

"You suppose can say that," Makoto replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Ren closed his eyes. Even though he knew that death is always looming over, he didn't think that he was capable of constantly reminding himself that he could die anytime. To be constantly reminded that he could die any second would require a great deal of courage.

"Let's continue this conversation some other time," Makoto said, once again unsheathing his gladius. "We've got company."

More than a dozen of Ursai with a variety of sizes emerged from their hidings. Ren flicked his wrists, and Storm Flowers came out from his sleeves. As for Makoto, he held Memento Mori in one hand as he carefully assessed the current situation.

"Two giant-sized, while the others are normal-sized…" Ren said, adopting a fighting stance.

"Well, let's destroy them all and get this over with," Makoto said, standing back to back with Ren. "I trust you have my back, Ren."

"And mine to you," Ren replied.

The Ursai roared before they lumbered towards the duo. A giant Ursa swung its bulky arm at both boys, and they managed to avoid it. Seeing an opening, Makoto stabbed the Grimm with his gladius. He poured Hama into his blade, and the Ursa let out a pained roar. The smell of burnt flesh lingered in the air as he pulled out the blade before he delivered a coup-de-grace on the giant Ursa by decapitating it with a single slash.

As for Ren, two normal-sized Ursai rushed towards him, and he aimed his guns at them before releasing a barrage of bullets. The shots managed to stun the monsters, and the green-clad boy took his chance to deliver a palm strike onto the chest of one of the Ursai. With the Aura-powered palm strike, Ren managed to kill the Ursa by creating a hole on the Ursa's chest.

The other Ursa was about to maul Ren when Makoto threw his scimitar at it. The blade pierced through its torso, and the sound of iron wire being tensioned could be heard. Holding the other scimitar in one hand, Makoto wagged his finger while making a 'tsk, tsk, tsk' sound, which was aimed at the Grimm.

Using his body as an anchor, Makoto reeled the thin wire, pulling the scimitar back to him, and with it, the body of the Ursa. The Grimm struggled as it tried to resist the pull, but it was unable to do so as the blade that was stuck in its body kept on pulling it towards Makoto.

When the Ursa was getting closer, Ren slammed his palm onto the Ursa's head while Makoto stabbed the other scimitar into the Ursa's body. With both scimitars lodged into the Ursa's torso, he let both swords to be merged again, further mangling its body from within. Then, he ripped the sword out of the Ursa's body, almost bisecting its torso while Ren's palm strike managed to crush its head.

Once again standing back to back, Makoto and Ren looked at the other Ursai. Seeing that three of the Ursai were easily killed by both of them, the remaining Ursai looked at both boys cautiously.

"We make a pretty good team, do we?" Makoto said in casual tone.

"I cannot disagree with you there," Ren replied.

"There are fourteen of them," Makoto said after counting all the Ursai. "I take seven, you take seven. Sounds good to you?"

Ren allowed himself to smile. "Sounds like a plan. Let's go."

And so, both Makoto and Ren easily mowed down the pack of Ursai with their combined efforts. It got to the point when some of the Ursai tried to escape them, but they were mercilessly crushed by Makoto and Ren, both of whom didn't seem to be in the mood of letting any of them escape. In less than fifteen minutes, all of the Ursai were dead, their corpses scattered everywhere.

"You alright?" Makoto asked his teammate as he stepped on one of the corpses, making sure that it was already dead.

"Just a bit…" Ren panted. "It's been a while, so I got myself winded up a bit."

"Is that so?" Makoto then sheathed back his sword and looked at Ren. "Once you're done catching your breath, let's continue. I think the temple isn't too far from here…"

Ren nodded. "Yes." After he finally recovered, he straightened himself. "Let's go."

Both boys left the scene of carnage behind, going to their destination, the temple. Once they reached the temple, they would retrieve the relic needed for the initiation.

"Hmm?"

Makoto noticed something falling slowly from above. It was a feather, black in color. He caught it with one hand, studying it. The feather was too rough and when he tried to feel it with his finger, it felt like touching a sword's edge.

"What's wrong, Makoto?" Ren asked, glancing over his shoulder to look at his teammate who was behind him.

"It's nothing…" Makoto said. He was still holding the black feather before he put it into his pocket.

Somehow, he got a bad feeling about what might happen next. His battle-honed instinct was screaming at him, telling him that something dangerous was waiting up ahead.

He could only hope that his instinct was wrong this time. One thing that he really hated about his instinct was that it was always right, every single damn time.

Steeling his resolve, Makoto brought his hand to the Evoker that was on his waist. The cold surface of the metallic object brought small comfort to him.

He'd rather avoid using the Evoker, but in any case if the situation demanded him to use it, then there would be no other choice for him. All he needed to do was to bring the barrel to the side of his head and pull the trigger. The manifestation of his other self would do the rest.

He could only hope there would be no situation that could force him to do so.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello, it's me, Prince Arjuna! Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you guys everlasting health! So, this is the first fic of mine to be updated in 2015, so confetti! Yay! As you can see, to make things more different, I did something unexpected by having Makoto partnered up with Lie Ren, and Pyrrha with Nora. The next chapter will be a battle chapter, and the formation of the four-men-teams. If you guys are wondering about the name of the team for Makoto, don't worry, it's already been decided, and you can see it in the next chapter.

Also, I'd like to say something about Makoto's sword, Memento Mori. It is a gladius, but instead of having two sharp sides, it only has one sharp side and one jagged side. And it can separate into two scimitars, and both scimitars are connected with thin wire. With the wire, Makoto can throw the sword to an enemy from a distance away, before reeling it back to him, just like a fishing rod or something. And since Makoto is a badass, he can use his body as an anchor to pull something heavy, like a Grimm, for instance.

Be minded that despite Makoto being able to use Aura, he has yet to manifest his Semblance. It's probably because the Yuuki are late bloomers? Who knows? But he will be able to use his Semblance soon, so don't worry too much about it.

Special thanks for **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter. Hope we can work together for future chapters. See you guys later in the next chapter, **Chapter 05: The Battle.**

**Jaune Arc's Review Corner**

Jaune: It's Jaune Arc, ladies.

Prince: I don't think you should address only the ladies, Jaune. That's why you can't score a point with Weiss.

Jaune: H-hey, at least I'm trying!

Prince: Whatever. So, like what we promised last chapter, we have a special guest this time.

Jaune: Yeah. Introducing, Makoto Yuuki from Persona 3!

Makoto; Hi.

Prince: OH MAI GAH! YOU'RE SO HOT!

Jaune: Umm... aren't you a guy?

Prince: IT AIN'T STOPPIN' ME!

Makoto: ...

Jaune: Uh, so... while the author is busy fanboying over you, why don't we continue answering the reviews?

Makoto: Sure, whatever.

Jaune: Alright, let's see...

_**Who else beside Elizabeth well appear in the place, like her sister and brother?**_

Makoto: No one. Both Margaret and Theodore are busy. Igor too.

Jaune: Okay, that answers the question. Onto the next.

_**Great chapter, we now know that Makoto can still use his Personas and that he gotten more skills now that he has Aura and can use his Persona's skills to augment his abilities. Though I wonder what is Blake's connection to Makoto? What is the pairing going to be? And who is Makoto's partner for the test? Good luck and keep up the good work.**_

Jaune: Now I'm curious. What's Blake's connection to you? (looks at Makoto) Is she your reincarnated lover from your past live or something?

Makoto: (shakes head) No. Having someone else other than me reincarnating into Remnant sounds too convenient for everyone's taste. You do know that there's a seventeen-year gap between my birth in Remnant and the time when I got into Beacon, right?

Jaune: So, there will be flashbacks?

Makoto: (shrugs) Who knows? It's author's decision, after all.

(Both Jaune and Makoto look at Prince)

Prince: OMFG HE'S LOOKING AT ME! BLRALRGHGH! (mouth foaming)

Jaune: Uh, too busy fanboying you.

Makoto: Meh, whatever. Moving on.

_**Looking forward to seeing what else we encounter? Wonder if Cardin will be shittin bricks when he sees the terrifying form of Makoto Yuuki!**_

Jaune: Now that's something to look forward. So, what are you gonna do with him?

Makoto: Fling Armageddon at him.

Jaune: ...

Makoto: Just kidding.

Jaune: At least use the right tone, dammit! I almost believed you there!

Makoto: Whatever. Next.

_**Ah Makoto going through the Harem Route again it seems. I remember when I first played P3P (I didn't play P3) I would Social Link and date all the girls (including Elizabeth) and confess to them, building myself a Harem and making sure that all of them didn't know I was dating the other (LoL), those were good times.**_

_**I thought his first name is suppose to be Yuki and Makoto being the last/family name you know. I mean its like Kurosaki Ichigo(Bleach), in english its Ichigo Kurosaki so technically its Yuki Makoto. But whatever I guess (Japanese names sometimes leaves me confuse).**_

_** Anyway Blake seems to have a past with him like what Derp said hope is she a reincarnation from his past life or just someone in his past current life? Hope its not a reincarnation of someone from his past life, because that would just feel weird in my opinion.**_

_** Are you going to give the cast of Remnant Persona's? Because if you are your going to need an explanation on how this particular branch of humanity developed a "Collective Unconsciousness", because for Makoto and his branch of Humanity it was due to Nyx (who is technically the moon) crash landing on Primitive Earth billions of years ago that lead them to develop the ability known as Persona's. Anyway you can just check at the Megami Tensei Wiki it gives an explanation of what Nyx really is (apparently the whole she is the concept of death was both wrong and right). Anyway just stating that most of the Persona x RWBY fics have the authors granting the cast of RWBY Persona's and all. Although in truth I hope you don't give them Persona's but that's just my opinion you decide either way I like the story and will continue on reading it.**_

_** Anyway can't wait to read the next chapters Makoto with both Aura and Persona's he's really gonna wreck the shit in RWBY. The Grimm and the antagonists of RWBY are so definietly screwed, I almost feel sorry for them...nah.**_

Jaune: Now that's a long review. But wait, Nyx is the moon?!

Makoto: Yup, and I'm the first person on the planet to go there without using a spaceship.

Jaune: Sometimes, it's hard to figure out whether you're being honest or being sarcastic, Makoto.

Makoto: Even so, to answer the question, things will be revealed in the future. Since Remnant is a different realm altogether, it's probably a different 'Planet Eater' that caused all lives to evolve. In my original universe, the life on Earth was a byproduct of Nyx colliding against Earth long time ago.

Jaune: And since there's nothing that can contradict that fact from RWBY's original materials, the author is free to do anything, as long as they make sense.

Makoto: Let's stop now. I want to take a nap.

Jaune: Uh, sure.

(Prince is still fanboying over Makoto)

Jaune: See you guys next time. And Happy New Year!

**Prince Arjuna (2015)**


	5. The Battle

While the new students were busy running away from Grimms (or fighting them, whichever came first) and searching for the relics in the forest just below the cliff, both Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch were standing by the cliff overlooking the forest below, with the white-haired man watching the progress of the students via a Scroll while the female Huntress was looking at her own tablet.

"I see that Kotone's boy ends up being paired up with Lie Ren…" Professor Ozpin spoke, holding the Scroll in one hand which was showing a footage of both boys slaughtering a pack of Ursai.

"The way he fights reminds me terribly of his mother…" the bespectacled Huntress, Glynda Goodwitch said, grousing a bit. Due to some reasons, her tone sounded a little bitter while mentioning about the blue-haired boy's mother.

Shrugging, Ozpin tapped the screen, "He takes after his own father in terms of appearance, though." He looked at Glynda, one eyebrow raised. "Was it bitterness I heard from you? I'm surprised, honestly. I never pegged you to be the one who holds grudge."

Glynda sighed as she adjusted her glasses. "There is no need for you to be concerned about my personal relationship with the boy's mother, sir. I have no problem with the boy, and I already talked with him several times before." She looked at the still image of Makoto Yuuki, whose right eye was covered by his blue hair. He was attired in a dark-colored jacket with a snowflake-shaped crest emblazoned on his back. "He is levelheaded, intelligent, sharp-minded and mature for a boy of his age. His way of speech could use some work, though. He's too smart for his own good…" she sighed, recalling her meetings with the boy. His words were mostly peppered with sarcasms, much to her exasperation.

"One of the best students ever produced by Signal Academy. It's a wonder this boy didn't become as popular as Miss Pyrrha Nikos from Sanctum," Professor Ozpin said.

Glynda closed her eyes before she tapped the screen of her tablet, changing the footage. "The Yuuki are known as a family of hermits, sir. They will actively avoid spotlights if they can help it. And his profile suggests that he's a reserved, quiet person." The Huntress sighed again. "Still, it doesn't seem to stop him from being rather sharp-tongued." She scowled. "Another thing he inherited from his mother, I suppose."

"Hmm…" Ozpin continued watching the footage displayed on his Scroll. Once again, he noticed bitterness in Glynda's tone, but this time, he decided to not comment anything about it. He had known Glynda for so long, and while it was fun to tease her about her rivalry with that certain person, the headmaster knew that there had to be a limitation in everything.

"Sir?" Glynda went to the white-haired man's side. "Is something on your mind?" She asked.

"This boy…" Professor Ozpin spoke, wisely not mentioning the fact that teasing the blond Huntress was one of his favorite pastimes. "You said before that he's quite mature for a boy of his age, right?" There was a still image of Makoto Yuuki on his tablet, depicting him fighting against two Ursai while wielding his scimitars. "I just have a feeling… that he's too mature for a boy of his age."

He recalled that one time when he met the boy and talked to him. One thing he could say about the meeting was that it was quite an enlightening one.

As an experienced educator, Professor Ozpin was confident in his ability to read others based on the way they carried themselves and their body languages. From what he could see from the boy named Makoto Yuuki, he was definitely different compared to the boys around his age. While Ozpin could see that the boy might have attempted to act like other teenagers, it didn't change the fact that the boy was merely mimicking the behaviors of normal teenagers in order to hide who he truly was.

It probably wasn't as nefarious as one could possibly think. He might be not a wanted terrorist in disguise, or an ancient malevolent entity who took the appearance of a teenager, but still, Professor Ozpin was curious of this boy. He had his own fair share of hardship which shaped him into the person he currently was, which along the way, helping him to hone his skills in reading other people. He was sure whatever the boy was, there had to be 'more than meets the eyes'.

"Sir?"

Professor Goodwitch spoke to the headmaster, who continued looking at the still image of the blue-haired boy.

For Ozpin, the boy was comparable to a puzzle. And it happened that Ozpin quite liked puzzles. He certainly looked forward to unravel the mysteries behind the puzzle which was Makoto Yuuki, once the initiation ceremony was over, of course.

"Speaking of which, sir…" Glynda said. "What did you use as relics this time?"

Ozpin was too preoccupied watching the footage to answer the Huntress' question.

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 05: The Battle**

Both Makoto and Ren walked alongside each other, trudging through the woods, towards the direction where they believed to be their destination. Whenever they encountered the creatures of Grimm, they would easily take them down. It was safe to say that their path was littered with the corpses of the Grimms they slew.

The green-clad boy glanced at his partner. He figured out that Makoto Yuuki was a peculiar boy. He might look like a quiet, reserved kind of person, but after forming a team, Makoto seemed to be the outgoing one among the two. He was the one who would first initiate a conversation between them, and while his speech was laced with dry humors, which were too much for his taste, it suited Ren just fine. He could tell that they were getting along pretty well.

After all, after living most of his childhood with someone like Nora Valkyrie, he didn't really mind the peculiarity.

Perhaps Makoto was just adjusting the dynamic between two of them. It wouldn't do to have two quiet, somnolent people to form a team. It would make the most boring team ever.

He could imagine what his childhood friend, Nora, would say about this. He was glad that Makoto was able to adjust the dynamic between them, or else he might not be able to hear the end of it from Nora, who might call their team 'the dullest and the most boring team ever to grace the realm of Remnant'.

"So, this Nora devised a plan for both of you to be on the same team?" Makoto asked, ducking down to avoid a branch. "And said plan seemed to involve sloth's noises?"

Ren sighed. "It wasn't the most brilliant plan she ever came up with, or ever…" Then, the green-clad boy shrugged. "Actually, that's the most normal thing she ever said to me. There was one time when she decided to catch a pack of Beowolves so that they can pull a sleigh during winter." Ren scowled, as if recalling a misadventure in the past. "It's as absurd as it sounds, but that's how Nora's head operates. I can only hope the one who got on the same team as her can survive all the insane plans she may come up with."

The normally stoic blue-haired boy smiled. "Sounds like you had quite an adventurous childhood."

"Sounds like an understatement of the century," Ren said dryly.

After that, they continued walking onward. Occasionally, Makoto sniffed the air before he pointed at the directions they should be taking.

"You can smell Grimms?" Ren asked, curious.

"Not exactly…" Makoto shrugged. Ren didn't know the true extent of Makoto's powers, which involved using the powers of mythological and legendary beings that allowed him to do things that most people couldn't normally do. By channeling the powers of Orthrus, a two-headed hellhound whelped by Echidna and Typhoon, his sense of smell was heightened like a canine's, allowing him to detect the Grimms by their lingering scents. It helped that these monsters of darkness had quite distinct scents. "After surviving the wilderness for almost five years, it just feels natural."

"Wilderness?" Ren inquired. So that would explain how Makoto was able to trek through the woods easily.

"My mother trained me by throwing me into a Grimm-infested forest," Makoto said in a rather casual tone, and Ren almost choked. "Gathering firewood, catching fish using hands, befriending wild animals and Faunus, fighting Grimms, it was a great time…"

"Y-your mother did that to you?!" Ren almost lost his cool after hearing that.

"Yep, my mother is a harsh teacher." Makoto shrugged. "To be fair, she would always make sure I'd survive the training." Not that he wouldn't survive it even if his mother did nothing, considering his true nature, but he wanted to make it clear that his mother meant well, mostly. "In the end, it worked. I can't manifest my Semblance just yet, but I make use of what I have just now. So far, my Aura serves me well."

"You can't manifest your Semblance?" Ren frowned. Manifesting one's Semblance wasn't necessary for the students to be qualified as the students of Beacon, but it would certainly help them as future Hunters. And Ren was surprised that Makoto was able to perform those superhuman feats even without Semblance. Pulling a gigantic Grimm towards him with his own body as an anchor definitely required him to use more than just his Aura.

"The Yuuki are traditionally late-bloomers," Makoto reasoned rather truthfully. His mother, Kotone, told him that the members of his lineage preferred using pure skills in battles, merely using Aura to complement their fighting styles. His parents were able to manifest their Semblances, but they told him that they only managed to do that upon reaching adulthood. "It doesn't make any sense, but it happens. Even I am curious about what my Semblance can be."

Not that he ever needed it, considering that he could just summon the manifestations of mythological beings with just a pull of his Evoker's trigger. If he said that he was able to decimate Remnant, burning everything into nothingness, he wasn't being boastful. He was just merely stating a simple, undeniable fact. Not that Ren was aware of it, of course.

And it was better that way.

Makoto sniffed the air again. "We're getting closer, I guess. The air is getting clearer this way." He pointed at one direction. Then, he frowned. "Something's coming. Prepare yourself, Ren."

He brandished his gladius, a weapon which consisted of many metal bits that could shift into a pair of scimitars if separated while Ren took out his bladed guns from his sleeves.

"Grimms?" Ren asked.

"Yes." Makoto nodded before he sniffed a bit more. "Though I can smell something else too." Though it was faint, the scent was quite distinct. "This scent… pancakes?"

"Pancakes?"

Before Makoto could say anything about it, two figures immediately showed up, and these two figures consisted of two girls who seemed to be running for their dear lives, followed by a giant scorpion with gigantic pincers and a golden stinger. One of the girls shot at the giant scorpion using her rifle, only to have the bullets bouncing off its thick shell. The other one, the one armed with a grenade launcher, also fired a round of grenades towards the scorpion, but the shot barely slowed it down.

When the girls were getting closer, Ren was able to see their features, and he recognized one of them as Nora Valkyrie.

"N-Nora?"

"Ren!" Nora saw Ren and exclaimed jubilantly. "We're bringing the party to you!"

The giant scorpion continued pursuing them.

The other girl, a crimson-haired one with a drape wrapped around her waist, spoke, "And when she said a party, she means a giant, scary Death Stalker. Run."

"Good suggestion." Makoto nodded. And so, both Makoto and Ren ran, following both girls as they were being pursued by the giant scorpion, a Death Stalker. "Fancy meeting you here, Pyrrha."

"Hello again, Makoto." The crimson-haired girl, Pyrrha, smiled at Makoto. "Sorry about the Grimm. We didn't mean to bring it so it can chase after all of us."

Makoto shrugged. "Nah, I've seen worse. Still, that's a pretty big Death Stalker."

"Your ability in stating the most obvious thing is truly remarkable, Makoto," Ren deadpanned as he ran while using his weapons, Storm Flower, to shoot at the pursuing Death Stalker. "Do you have any plan to take that thing down?" He asked.

Makoto looked at the Death Stalker. He could easily decimate it with his Persona, but it was a risky move. And the forest was hindering them from moving easily while fighting it. "Let's bring it to a clearing first. I'll see what we can do once we're in an open field. There's one not too far from us."

"Sounds like a plan." Pyrrha nodded.

"In the meantime, let's keep it busy first," Makoto suggested. "I have no firearm to use, and this one has no ammo." He patted at the gun-shaped device holstered on his waist. "Can you guys do that?"

"Affirmative," Pyrrha said, nodding again.

"You got it!" Nora exclaimed.

"Alright," Ren responded.

And so, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren kept on shooting at the pursuing Death Stalker as they ran over the direction of the clearing not too far from them, while Makoto led them. Somehow, the blue-haired boy felt rather nostalgic.

It felt like a SEES mission all over again.

* * *

Blake Belladonna looked down in bemusement right after Ruby Rose fell down from above, landing on top of her sister, Yang Xiao Long. The red-clad girl had her face stuffed between Yang's breasts, and the buxom girl was on the ground after cushioning her sister's fall.

"Are you two… alright?" Blake asked in uncertain tone.

"I'm mrlghrhgt!" Ruby's reply was muffled thanks to her face being stuffed between Yang's breasts.

"That tickles, Ruby," Yang chided before she brought her hands to the sides of her younger sister's head and pushed it up. "There you go."

Ruby was gasping for air. "Phew, I thought I was gonna die." The world without oxygen was truly a frightening thing to happen. "Thanks, Yang!" She beamed at her older sister.

Sighing while stroking Ruby's head, Yang smiled. "I hope the fall didn't hurt you much, sis." She got up with the help of her sister.

"Well, you cushioned my fall, and it didn't hurt much," Ruby said. "I guess these airbags did all the cushioning." She poked at Yang's chest with her finger.

Instead of being offended when her younger sister was poking on one of her ample assets, Yang giggled. "These babies aren't just for attracting boys alone, little sis. You'll know it once you grow up." She grinned as she cupped her palms beneath her breasts, and Ruby fumed.

"Hey! I'm a grown-up and you know it!" Ruby protested before she pouted and crossed her arms below her chest, which wasn't as big as her sister's. "I drink milk, you know!"

Blake coughed into her fist, bringing the attentions of both sisters to her before she pointed up to the sky, where a pair of black, giant birds were seen flying, circling each other.

"Well, isn't that quite a sight?" Yang commented. "By the way, where's your partner? I figure that you should have one by now." She looked at Ruby.

"A-about that…" Hesitantly, Ruby pointed up. Both Yang and Blake looked at the direction where the younger girl was pointing at, and they saw a white-clad girl, clinging onto the talon of one of the giant birds, and from what they could see, the girl was yelling. They were unable to hear what the girl was saying, but Blake could tell that she was shouting the words 'dolt' and 'idiot' several times.

"So, Weiss Schnee, huh?" Yang said. "Who would have thought?" She thought that Ruby ended up with Makoto as her partner.

"I'm more curious about how and why you two were stuck with those Nevermores…" Blake said dryly as she looked back at Ruby.

Twiddling her fingers, Ruby looked down in embarrassment. "I-it's a long story…"

"I'm sure you can tell us that long story next time, Rubes. In the meantime, shouldn't we worry about her?" Yang looked up again. "And… oh look, she falls."

They were too preoccupied with the heiress falling from above to notice that she might be landing on top of one of them. The heiress was screaming as she fell. And sure enough, she ended up landing on top of one of them. More precisely, she landed on top of Yang.

"Eep!" Once again, the buxom blond girl was on the ground, with Weiss on top of her. The white-haired heiress landed on her, with her face stuffed between her breasts, just like Ruby did a while ago.

"See?" Ruby pointed at both Yang and Weiss, who were on the ground, while looking at Blake. "Those airbags of hers did all the cushioning!"

Blake was unable to come up with anything witty, so she responded with something simple. "I… see."

"Mrpghgph!" Face stuffed between Yang's assets, Weiss made muffled noises.

"Hey, that tickles!" Yang said before she brought her hands to the side of the heiress' head and pushed it up.

"Urgh…" Gasping for precious air, Weiss looked at her surroundings for a while, not registering that she was on top of Yang in a rather compromising position before her eyes were locked on Ruby, glaring at her. "You doofus! What did I tell you about jumping off from a high altitude?! Do you have any idea what might happen if we botched our landings?!"

"W-well… at least we're safe," Ruby reasoned. "Plus, those things on Yang make very durable airbags. They cushioned our falls, after all."

"Huh?" Blinking in confusion, Weiss absentmindedly moved her hands, unintentionally placing one of her palms on top of one of Yang's breasts. "Hmm?" Still not noticing what she had done, she gave it an experimental squeeze.

Squish.

"Ahem…" Seemingly amused, Yang grinned at Weiss. "Well, well, I know I'm pretty and all, but you don't have to be touchy-feely to me like this, y'know?"

"Wha-?" Realizing what she had done, Weiss' eyes widened as she found her right hand squeezing Yang's left breast before she immediately got up, taking a few steps back, her face turning deep red. "Th-that's… wh-what… th-this…"

Unlike Weiss, Yang just laughed it off, waving her hand dismissively as she got up on her feet. "I know, I know. These babies got that kind of effect to all people, boys or girls." She winked naughtily at the heiress. "Still, isn't that a little too fast, Ice Princess?"

"Wh-what… what are you trying t-to imply?!" Weiss exclaimed. She seemed angry, but the redness on her cheeks seemed to tell otherwise. "Wh-what are you?! A deviant?!"

"Deviant?" Ruby blinked in confusion before she looked at Blake. "What is a deviant, Blake?"

"A deviant means a person whose behavior is departing from usual or accepted standard, socially or sexually," Blake explained to the younger girl. "Still, shouldn't we focus on the most pressing matter right now? There are a pair of giant Grimms above our heads as we speak," she addressed all the girls around her as she pointed at the avian Grimms in the sky.

"Yeah, the matter about our pretty princess here being attracted to me can wait," Yang agreed as she dusted off her clothes and straightened herself. Weiss glared at the buxom girl, but then she glanced at the Nevermores above them with concerned eyes. "Still, why aren't they attacking us? All they did up there was circle around each other."

"Well, they're not attacking us, so it should be a good thing, right?" Ruby said. "All we have to do now is to take the relics and get out of this place." She pointed at the ruined temple not too far from them.

Weiss nodded. "Indeed. However how much I hate to admit it, the doofus is right," she said. Ruby pouted when Weiss called her a doofus. "Those Nevermores are preoccupied with whatever they are doing. We can take the relics and get away from this place unscathed." She folded her arms over her chest. "I mean, what else can go wrong?"

As if on cue, four figures emerged from the forest, followed by a giant Death Stalker. Apparently, those four which consisted of two boys and two girls who were being chased by the giant scorpion.

"Freedom!" One of the girls, armed with a grenade launcher, exclaimed, as soon as she stepped out of the forest.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang looked at the approaching group and the giant Grimm before three pair of eyes were focused on the white-clad heiress. "Shouldn't have said that, princess." It was Yang who said it.

"Wait, isn't that Makoto?!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing at the blue-haired boy among them.

"Makoto?" Blake's head perked up upon the mention of the name. "It's him."

"A Death Stalker…" Weiss muttered. "I-it's my first time seeing one that big."

As soon as the group stepped out of the forest, they immediately stood their ground. The crimson-haired one among them took the round shield from her back as her rifle shifted its form from a rifle into a short sword. The other girl flicked her wrist as her grenade launcher turned into a war hammer.

"Pyrrha, shield up!"

Makoto yelled an order to the crimson-haired girl, Pyrrha. Nodding, Pyrrha lifted her arm that was fitted with her shield, holding it horizontally, turning it into a makeshift jumping board. Wordlessly, Makoto gave a signal to Ren, and the green-clad boy rushed over to Pyrrha's direction before jumping onto her shield, using it as a platform for him to leap onto the Death Stalker's giant frame.

Ren landed on the Death Stalker's back, holding out both his bladed guns before he plunged the blades into its thick shell. He managed to create a slight crack on its back, thanks to the application of his Aura.

Still, his back was exposed to the Death Stalker's golden stinger at the end of its tail. The stinger moved to strike his back, but before it could even reach him, Makoto stopped it in the nick of time, blocking it using his two hands. The stinger was less than one inch away from his chest when he stopped it with his bare hands. Apparently, Makoto also jumped onto the Death Stalker's back using the same method used by Ren earlier.

Ren looked behind him and frowned when Makoto blocked the attack with his hands. "That's not a part of the plan you devised, Makoto."

Makoto glanced over his shoulder to look at Ren. "Let's just say I'm improvising." Then, he twisted the stinger, and a sickly crunching sound was heard.

A few meters away from them, Ruby and the rest of the girls were watching.

"D-did he… did he seriously break a Death Stalker's stinger using his hands?" Weiss gasped.

"Well, looks like it…" Unlike Weiss, Yang didn't look surprised.

Blake was watching the battle, her eyes widened.

"I-it's just… it's just like last time…" the black-haired girl muttered.

On the Death Stalker's back, despite the Grimm's attempts to get both boys off its body, they remained there. Due to Makoto twisting the stinger, it was almost severed from its tail.

"Well, that's enough improvising. Let's finish this," Makoto said.

"Got it." Ren nodded. "Nora!"

"I'm on it!"

Upon hearing the signal, it was Nora's turn to jump onto the Death Stalker's back, and Ren jumped off and landed safely to the ground below. Makoto pulled the stinger off its tail while Nora heaved her hammer over her head. The Death Stalker thrashed violently, and Makoto almost fell. But he managed to remain there before he placed the severed stinger on the crack made by Ren earlier.

Using her rocket-enhanced hammer, Nora slammed the stinger into the Grimm's thick shell, plunging it deep into its flesh underneath. The shockwave caused by the attack rattled Makoto slightly, causing him to lose his balance, throwing him off the Grimm's body.

"Urgh!" Makoto landed on the grassy ground with a thud. The fall didn't hurt him, but it was enough to knock the wind out of him. As for the Death Stalker, it shook and thrashed roughly due to the fatal wound inflicted by its own stinger that was driven into its own flesh.

"Makoto!" Pyrrha rushed over to Makoto's side. "Makoto, you alright?"

"It could be worse…" Makoto responded as he supported his body with his arms. "I'm alright, I guess."

"Thank goodness…" Pyrrha let out a sigh of relief. "Still, I suppose the plan worked out, after all…" She glanced at the dead Death Stalker as Nora jumped off from its back.

"Ren!" Nora cheerfully approached the green-clad boy. "I'm partnered up with Pyrrha!"

"With her?" Ren looked at the crimson-haired girl before he sighed. "I'm actually sorry for her."

"Still, our sloth plan didn't work," Nora said.

"A shame…" Ren deadpanned.

"But, oh well…" Nora then produced some animal-like noises.

Ren smiled wryly. "I don't think that's what a sloth sounds like."

Nora giggled. "Boop!"

She poked Ren's nose.

After Makoto recovered, he got up before he went to the ruined temple, with Pyrrha alongside him, where the relics were located. Ren and Nora also followed after them.

"You made that look easy, Mako," Yang said to Makoto who approached the temple.

"Hello again, Xiao Long. Fancy meeting you here…" Makoto said to Yang. On the pedestals within the ruined temple, the relics which took the shapes of chess pieces were placed. Then, he looked up, noticing the Grimms circling each other in the sky. "That doesn't look good."

"You can say that again," Ren agreed.

"Let us retrieve the relics and get away from this place," Pyrrha suggested.

"Great idea." Weiss nodded. "With those Nevermores preoccupied, I'm sure we can-"

Before the heiress could finish, one of the Nevermores swooped down, throwing down its feathers like oversized darts. All of them immediately avoided all the feathers that rained down to them.

"I believe you should stop tempting fate now, Weiss Schnee…" Blake said dryly, picking herself up from the ground after dodging. Countless feathers were seen sticking on the ground, and each of them looked sturdy and heavy, like metals.

"Sh-shut up!" Weiss hissed.

"I suggest we take the relics and skedaddle as fast as we can," Yang suggested.

"A good idea." Makoto nodded. He was about to go to one of the pedestals to take a relic when Ruby let out a desperate cry.

"M-my cape!" Ruby's red cape was stuck, thanks to one of the feathers. She tried to pull it off, but one of the Nevermores descended down, landing right in front of her. "N-no…"

"Ruby!" Yang rushed to her sister, but Weiss had already stood in front of the younger girl, wielding her rapier as she glared at the Nevermore.

"Weiss?"

"Don't just stand there, you dolt!" Weiss yelled at Ruby. "Tear it off and get the relic! I'll hold it off for you!"

"B-but-"

"Are you deaf?! Go and take the relic!"

Standing her ground, Weiss looked up at the Nevermore looming over them. She held out her other hand, and the Dust chamber within her rapier started spinning.

"You are a burden, Ruby. A liability. You head into the battle recklessly. For someone who talks too much, you communicate so little during battle. It frustrates me," Weiss said, her voice sounded significantly softer, and Ruby lowered her head. "Still, you're my teammate. Burden or not, it is my responsibility to keep you safe. It's unbecoming for a Huntress to leave her teammate alone to die."

"Weiss…"

"Plus… burden or not, you're strong…" Weiss added. "That's one thing I can respect about you, Ruby. So…" She tightened her grip on the hilt of her rapier. The Nevermore was looking at her, as if curious about what she was about to do. "If you want me to respect you more, will you do as I say?"

"I…"

Without waiting for Ruby's response, Weiss raised her hand, conjuring a glyph in the air before she leaped up, using the glyph as a platform. Then she jumped towards the Nevermore, distracting it. In the meantime, Blake approached Ruby and took her sword.

"She's right. Go and take the relic while she's distracting it." Using her sword, Blake cut the snagged cape.

"M-my cape…" Ruby sniffed.

"Don't worry, Ruby. You can always fix that next time," Yang said to her little sister reassuringly.

Nodding, Ruby rushed into the ruined temple and took one of the relics on one of the pedestals, a Knight piece. Thanks to the distraction by Weiss, the Nevermore flew off.

"Take the relic too, Makoto," Ren told the blue-haired boy.

"I'm on it." Makoto nodded and took a Rook. Nora also took a Rook piece, humming a tune along the way.

"I guess I'm gonna take the pony, then." Yang also took the Knight piece. "You okay with that, Blakey?"

"Sure." Blake shrugged.

With the relics safely retrieved, it's time for them to escape the place. As they ran towards a bridge near the ruined temple, those Nevermores kept on pursuing them.

"Relentless, aren't they?" Makoto commented, glancing at the Nevermores. One of them swooped down to attack, destroying the bridge, separating them into two groups.

"I guess we have no choice now…" Pyrrha sighed, transforming her sword into a javelin.

"Fight, of course." Makoto brandished his gladius.

"Obvious choice, I suppose." Ren readied his Storm Flowers.

"Alright!" Nora grinned, holding her war hammer.

"So… fight?" Yang asked as both her hands were covered in her yellow gauntlets before she slammed her fists together.

"Duh," Blake responded simply, already holding her sword in her hand.

"It's not like we have much choice to begin with," Weiss said, spinning the chamber within her rapier.

"Girls… I have a plan…" Ruby said, unfolding Crescent Rose to its full size. "The plan is to win this battle."

* * *

Standing at the cliff overlooking the ruined temple, Elizabeth was observing the battles between the students and the avian monstrosities. Her lips curled up into an amused smile as she saw the children working together to take down the monsters.

"I see this realm is quite an interesting one…" the former attendant of the Velvet Room muttered to herself. "The tenacity shown by its residents are to be admired. Creatures born of dust, weak against the darkness of the world, but still manage to survive and prosper... It is only natural for me to call them admirable."

She kept observing the children, particularly the blue-haired one, as he led his comrades to take down the monster. The qualities that he had back then, in his old life, sure were carried over into his new life. Even though he did not use the powers of his Personas as well as Wild Card, he was able to take down the beast with the help of his friends.

Elizabeth was also interested with the other group, led by a young girl clad in black and red. Her approach in leadership was a little different compared to the boy, but in the end, it worked out. The way she stood at the cliff after decapitating the monster sure made the young girl with the small frame more imposing.

"Something to look forward in the future, I suppose," Elizabeth muttered to herself. While her main interest in this world was the boy himself, she couldn't help but be curious about the girl. Like the boy, the girl seemed to carry something special within her.

It reminded her of Summer Rose.

"Well, things can get a little complicated…" Elizabeth said to herself again. The first time she met Summer Rose was in the Collective Unconscious. It was a pleasant surprise to see the irregularity of what she had encountered so far. "Still, this is one way to make everything more interesting."

She heard shuffling sounds behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, and saw a few Grimms. Chuckling, Elizabeth turned around and opened her Grimoire.

"Oh well. If things never get complicated, everything will turn dull and boring, I suppose. I'm glad you people show up, or else I may get bored." Elizabeth then curtsied before she smiled. "Now then…"

A dozen cards floated around her, and the Grimms were looking at her curiously.

"What if I tell you that your fate is in the cards?"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yo, it's me, Prince Arjuna. So, this is the Chapter 5 of Messianic Rebirth. Initially, I planned to to make the team-forming at the end of this chapter, but then, I thought that maybe I can put it in the beginning of the next chapter instead. But, I guess I can reveal the name of Makoto's team because he replaced Jaune in this story. The name of the team will be **Team MNRV** or **Minerva**, and if you guys aren't aware of it, Minerva is also a color (color code: 4F7369). And I guess **MNRV** stands for **M**akoto Yuuki, Pyrrha **N**ikos, Lie **R**en and Nora **V**alkyrie. I'm kinda using their last names, so it feels like cheating, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it.

Also, special thanks for **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter. It's so nice working alongside you.

As for Jaune Arc's review corner, I don't think I feel like putting it here for this chapter. I guess I'll be putting it in the next chapter. The special guest for Jaune Arc's review corner will be Ruby Rose. I guess I'll be editing the previous chapters to make them seem different than canon. So, I hope you like this chapter, and don't forget to give the author a bunch of reviews so that the author will be motivated enough to write more of this story.

So, stay tuned and look forward for the next chapter, **Chapter 06: The Team.** Toodaloo!

**Prince Arjuna (2015)**


	6. The Team

"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." There were four boys lined up on the stage in the auditorium as Professor Ozpin announced their names. The screen of the auditorium showed each of their profiles for the audience to see, and their names were written right under their profiles.

The first one, Russel Thrush, was a young man with a shaved head and a light-green mohawk on top of it, and he was attired in a dark-green hoodie with cut-off sleeves over a long-sleeved shirt, as well as a bracer on each of his arms. He wore a brown strap around his chest to keep the spiked spaulder in its place, which was on his left shoulder. His pointy chin, skinny physique, and pale skin seemed to make him look rather gaunt-like.

Standing beside Russel was Cardin Winchester, whose frame was quite imposing, and he was the tallest among the four. Over his black shirt, he wore silver, gold-trimmed armor with the image of a bird with outstretched wings on the chestplate. His orange hair was combed backwards with a slight peak at the front. It was clear that under the clothing he wore, he was quite muscular.

Next to Cardin was Dove Bronzewing, a young man with light-brown hair and squinty eyes. Like Cardin beside him, Dove wore armor over his black shirt, a tan-colored one. He also wore a bracer on each of his arms which bore the same color as his armor, and wrapped around his neck was a black scarf. Due to his squinty eyes, he seemed to be giving an impression that he might be closing his eyes while he was standing alongside the other three.

And the last one was Sky Lark, and like both Cardin and Dove, he also wore armor over his black shirt. His bluish-silver hair seemed to almost reach his shoulders, and from the looks of it, his hair seemed to be well-combed. The armor he wore was dark gray in color, and the bracers he wore on his arms also bore the same color as his armor.

"The four of you retrieved the black Bishop pieces…" Professor Ozpin continued after a pause before he adjusted his glasses, looking over the four boys lined up on the stage. "From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by… Cardin Winchester!"

The first letters of their names were arranged on the screen and were put together to form CRDL. From the looks of it, their team would be known as Team CRDL, with the tallest among them, Cardin Winchester, as the leader of the team.

The newly-christened Team CRDL left the stage after being given a round of applause, and four students, two males and two females, took their places on the stage.

Among other students who were watching the four getting onto the stage was Weiss Schnee, and the heiress was putting her full attention to the four, especially to the one with blue hair and dark jacket with a snowflake-shaped insignia similar to hers emblazoned on his back. The blue-haired boy was assuming a neutral expression, and it was hard for the heiress to tell what the boy was thinking about, especially when one of his silver eyes was covered under his blue bang. Standing beside him was another boy, also sporting a neutral expression, clad in green attire. The other two, the females among them, were standing alongside each other. One of them was a red-haired girl, whose expression was calm, while the other one was an orange-haired girl, whose excitement was barely contained as she followed the other three to the stage.

"Lie Ren. Makoto Yuuki. Nora Valkyrie. Pyrrha Nikos," Professor Ozpin said their names as their profiles were displayed on the screen. "The four of you retrieved the white Rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team MNRV."

_"As expected…"_ Weiss thought to herself. It's a pity that she was unable to partner up with Pyrrha or the other one, but she would make do of what she currently had. She glanced at her partner, Ruby Rose, beside her. She predicted that they would form a team with Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long, judging from the chess pieces they retrieved from the ruined temple.

"Led by… Makoto Yuuki."

The blue-haired boy, the one who was announced to be the leader of the team, quirked one of his eyebrow before his partner, Lie Ren patted his shoulder and smiled, but then, the green-clad boy was hugged by the orange-haired girl who could no longer contain her excitement. The other girl, Pyrrha Nikos approached Makoto and patted his shoulder. From what Weiss could see, the red-haired girl seemed pleased with their current arrangement.

_"Of course he has to be the leader, after what he had done back then,"_ Weiss mentally mused to herself. _"He personally led the charge against the giant Nevermore and got the others to follow his instructions. Using his rather primitive weapon, he pulled down the Grimm and let the others attack it. The timings of their attacks were impeccable and well-placed, and they took down the Nevermore without difficulty, just like what they did with that Death Stalker."_

Weiss continued looking at the blue-haired boy, who was nodding after listening to what Professor Ozpin was telling him.

_"It's just like what Old Nan said…"_ Weiss thought to herself again. _"The House of Yuuki is well-known for its legendary status as a family of warriors and heroes. Even by the current standard of Hunters nowadays, they are quite exceptional."_ The heiress brought her hand to her chin as she preoccupied herself with her mental musing. _"I mean, he tore off a Death Stalker's stinger barehanded and pulled down a giant avian monstrosity by using his body as an anchor. That's not what your run-of-the-mill Hunters are capable of, even with the help of Dust and Aura."_

Weiss let out a sigh.

_"I shouldn't let such a thing be a bother to me. Yes, Makoto Yuuki is a man worthy of my respect, but I shouldn't let my resolve waver just because I saw a real Huntsman in action."_ She lowered her hand from her chin before she balled both her hands into fists. _"I will have Makoto Yuuki as a measuring stick for my growth. I still have much to learn. One day, perhaps… one day, I will gain enough strength worthy for a Schnee."_

The heiress' lips curved upwards.

_"One day, I will be acknowledged. One day… I will make _him_ see that I have chosen the correct path…"_

"Weiss, it's our turn now."

Weiss jerked her head when Ruby tapped her shoulder. She looked at the members of Team MNRV stepping down from the stage. The heiress nodded before she followed the rest onto the stage, before the screen above them displayed their profiles and names.

"Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long," Professor Ozpin said their names. All four girls had already lined up on the stage. "The four of you retrieved the white Knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Led by… Ruby Rose."

Weiss was surprised, so was Ruby. Blake gave the youngest among them a curious look, while Yang gave her sister a hug.

Makoto, who was with his teammates, glanced at the newly-made Team RWBY.

"Team RWBY, huh?" The blue-haired boy muttered, noting that their team was named after its leader, Ruby, which was pretty commodious for those who were involved. "How strangely convenient." He smiled wryly as he put on his earphones and switched on his music player to play "From Shadows". From what he could tell, it was a duet between the singer of the previous two songs he found interesting and a male singer. One thing to look into in the future, he figured.

"Makoto?" Ren gave Makoto a strange look.

"Too convenient for my taste, in fact," Makoto added as he listened to the song.

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 06: The Team**

One thing Makoto found out after the formation of the team was that the members of each team would be living together in a dorm, even the teams which consisted of boys and girls. Back then in his old life, the girls might have been mortified to be sharing the same room as the boys. Luckily for Team MNRV, the girls seemed to have no problem sharing the dorm with the boys. It's just that both Ren and Nora had been living together for years long before they arrived at Beacon, and Pyrrha also didn't have problem living together with them.

One thing Makoto did after becoming the leader of the team was to establish the rules in the dorm. Even if they would be living in the same room, it was still unacceptable to do anything inappropriate. Matters like the time for the members to take showers and change clothes had been put into consideration, as well as some other things, considering that girls had more complicated necessities compared to boys. The dorm was quite big, so it wouldn't be a problem for them to live comfortably in there, considering that they would be living together for the next four years.

The first night went on just fine, even though they almost spent the entire night with a session of ice-breaking, thanks to Nora. The next day, Makoto woke up quite early in the morning, and the blue-haired boy decided to go to the rooftop to watch the sunrise. He figured out that Elizabeth might also show up, so he decided to bring a treat for her.

At the rooftop, much to his expectation, the former attendant of the Velvet Room was standing there, holding her tome close to her chest, watching the sunrise. The attendant's back was facing him as the boy approached her. Upon hearing his footsteps, Elizabeth turned around and smiled at him.

"Hello…" Elizabeth spoke softly. There was some kind of mischievous twinkle in her golden eyes as she looked at the reborn messiah. "You woke up quite early in the morning. How unusual."

"I came here to watch the sunrise," Makoto said before he tossed an apple to Elizabeth. Using only one hand, the attendant caught the fruit. "I never got a chance to do that back at the Isle of Patch, considering that my house is surrounded by forest." He took a bite of the apple that he had in his hand. "By the way, the apple's yours. I figured you might want some."

"My, how considerate of you," Elizabeth said amusedly before she took a bite. She raised one eyebrow. "How inquisitive! The juiciness and crunchiness were never mixed this well before! The sweetness of this fruit makes me desire for more…" she let out a longing sigh. "There's no wonder that an apple is often used as a symbol for forbidden fruits."

"So, you like it?" Makoto asked.

"Very much so…" Elizabeth nodded. "And the apple in your hand…" She looked at the fruit in Makoto's hand hungrily after she finished eating her own apple.

Makoto looked at the apple in his hand, then to Elizabeth, then back to the apple. "Ah…" He knew what she really wanted, from the hungry look the attendant gave to him. "You want this? I still have dozens of them back in my room. I don't mind giving this to you." He held out his hand, offering the fruit to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth went over, getting closer to Makoto. She took the fruit from Makoto's hand before she leaned in and pressed her lips against his. The boy was unprepared for the sudden kiss, causing him to freeze, allowing the attendant to do whatever she wanted. The boy could feel her tongue invading his mouth, scooping the bits of fruit he chewed earlier into her own mouth. Then, she stepped back, letting him go, leaving a trail of saliva as their lips parted from each other. She sensually licked her lips after swallowing the bits of fruits that she stole from Makoto's mouth earlier.

"Thank you for the treat…" Elizabeth said before she giggled. Then she brought the apple that she took from Makoto earlier to her mouth and took a bite. Makoto slowly recovered before he sighed.

"Was the kiss really necessary?" Makoto asked.

"Why? Didn't you like it?"

Elizabeth tilted her head cutely.

"Well, I suppose I didn't hate it…" Makoto said. He wasn't the one to be flustered quite easily, and certainly, due to being a reincarnation, he surely had enough experience on how to deal with women. While he would never call himself a chronic womanizer, at least in his past life, he surely could appreciate the presence of the people of opposite sex in his life. For someone who had learned the importance of bonds with others, he also understood the necessity of female companions. "But at least try to warn me beforehand."

Apparently, Elizabeth was done eating the apple that she took from Makoto.

"So, is there anything you want to tell me?" Makoto asked.

"Ah, yes…" Elizabeth nodded. She opened the tome in her hand, taking out a blue card. It wasn't a tarot card that she usually used to summon her Personas, but instead, a blank card that somehow reminded Makoto of something else, such as credit cards or anything similar. "I traveled back into the collective unconscious some time ago, and met the current seal, Summer Rose. Like what I told you before, unlike you, she is able to communicate with me. And now, she wants to meet you again."

"Meet me?" Makoto frowned. "How is that even possible?"

"And that is why I am giving you this card." Elizabeth handed Makoto the blank, blue card. "That is the Velvet Card, which grants you a pass to enter the collective unconscious. This is something that my master had given to me, which grants me the power to jump through alternate worlds." She held out one of her gloved hands as she continued, "The function is quite limited compared to the power granted to me, but by using this card, you can travel to the collective unconscious and meet Summer Rose."

She smiled.

"I am sure she will be delighted to see you once again, Makoto Yuuki."

And with that, Elizabeth disappeared, leaving Makoto alone on the rooftop.

Makoto looked at the card, studying it.

"You should've told me how to use this, Elizabeth," Makoto muttered before he swiped the card in the air. "Is it like this?" Much to his surprise, by making the swiping motion, a portal suddenly appeared in front of him. "Huh." He tentatively held out his hand into the portal before he slowly stepped into it.

The moment he set his foot into the portal, everything around him changed. It was a familiar view: an endless space filled with stars. He stood before a great, golden gate, and his eyes were focused on the statue that was in front of the gate.

"This is… the collective unconscious…" Makoto could feel that time around him had stopped. "And this is… the seal…" he recognized the great, golden gate. Behind the gate would be Nyx, an entity that embodies the concept of Death, the one that brought forth the beginning of life, as well as the end of it. "Summer…"

The shape of the statue was feminine in figure, from what Makoto could tell. As he continued eyeing the statue, a voice whispered into his ears.

_"Don't stare too much. It's kind of embarrassing."_

"Hmm?" Makoto blinked before a wisp-like figure appeared before him. Then, it took the shape of a female wearing a white cape. This time, she was unhooded, revealing her head and face. "Ah…"

The last time he met her, he was unable to see her face, but now, when he was able to take a good view of it, he noticed that Summer Rose was essentially an adult Ruby. Her hair was a little longer, and she seemed more mature, but the similarity was uncanny, with her silver eyes and her clothing. It's just that Summer seemed to be wearing white while her daughter preferred red.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Summer began, her voice sounded soft.

"You are right. It's been a while…" Makoto nodded. "How are you?"

"Besides being constantly molested by Erebus and having nothing to do, I'm pretty sure I'm doing fine here." Summer smiled at the boy. "Well, I would appreciate it if the statue up there is clothed. I guess being naked is the requirement to be the Great Seal." She sighed as she glanced at her statue self at the gate behind her.

"I believe you're quite beautiful," Makoto said without changing his tone. "I'm pretty sure a beauty such as you doesn't have to be embarrassed by such a trivial matter."

Summer giggled. "My, aren't you a flatterer, boy?"

"I am merely telling you the truth."

"I'm older than you and I'm married."

Makoto smiled.

"Ah, you smile…" Summer noted his smile, and smiled as well. "You didn't smile the first time we met. To be fair, you were pretty stoned at that time."

"Stoned?" Makoto blinked.

"Well…" Summer pointed at her statue self. "You were a statue."

"Truly, your joke is so horrible, even more horrible than Yang's," Makoto deadpanned.

Then, both of them fell silent.

"Makoto…" Summer spoke. "Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" She asked gently. "How's your new life? I do hope that I didn't botch anything when I replaced you as the Great Seal."

"I couldn't ask for anything better than this…" Makoto said.

"Do you get along with Yang and Ruby?"

"Yes, I suppose I do. I didn't talk to them much, but I figured out that they're pretty nice."

"I see. I'm glad to hear that…" Summer looked into Makoto's eyes. "Do you like it? Do you like your new life?"

"I…"

He couldn't properly answer that question, even though it only required him to say 'yes' or 'no'. He got to live again, in exchange of someone else's life. He was released from the Great Seal, only to have someone else take his place. He couldn't exactly say that he enjoyed his new life if someone had to suffer in his place.

And yet, there was an undeniable truth about his rebirth.

The truth was that he was happy to born again, to be loved by loving parents, to live in a happy family, even though he was reborn for a purpose. Once, he was a person with barely a self, filled with apathy and ambivalence to anything around him. When he finally regained what he had lost, finally understood the meaning of life and bonds, he sacrificed himself for the good of humanity.

To be able to enjoy what he once lost, Makoto Yuuki never felt this blessed before.

"I… I like it," Makoto finally said. "Even if I might end up sacrificing myself again, this time… I finally feel alive…" Somehow, his voice cracked a bit. "I feel bad for having you replace me as the Great Seal, but thanks to you, I'm finally able to live my life like how it should be. I have two loving parents, I have a loving family, I have everything that I could only dream of before, and I can never thank you enough. I…"

"That's enough, Makoto…"

The boy could feel a pair of arms wrapping itself around him, filling him with comforting warmth. It was Summer, the current Great Seal.

"I'm glad…" Summer spoke softly. "I'm very glad to hear that you're doing alright."

Makoto looked at the woman who was embracing him, before she let him go.

"But… you may end up spending your time as the Great Seal for eternity. You don't have to do this for me, you know? Yes, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to save Remnant, but… are you willing to sacrifice your personal happiness just to give someone like me a second chance?" Makoto asked.

Summer smiled meaningfully. "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will. You have a better chance to save the world, and if my sacrifice can contribute more so that you can do just that, then…" She brought her hand to her chest. "I will shoulder this burden, even for eternity."

"Summer…" Makoto took a deep breath before he finally said it. "Thank you. Thank you for giving me a second chance in life."

"You're welcome."

Summer looked behind her, gazing up to her statue self.

"Well, I believe it's time for me to return my consciousness back into the statue," Summer said. "By the way, there's something I'd like to tell you. The moment I took your position as the Great Seal, the collective unconscious somehow reacted in kind by merging with the collective unconscious of Remnant. I'm not a native of your world, so when I became the Great Seal, there was a little mix-up."

"That sounds oddly complicated," Makoto commented.

"Yeah. I don't understand it either, I'm just parroting Elizabeth's explanation," Summer admitted. "As a result of the mix-up, I somehow became a conduit between you and the collective unconscious, or a link of sorts. Since you are in an alternate world different from your old world, technically you shouldn't be able to use your power. What was it again? Persona?"

Makoto finally understood what Summer was talking about. "I see. So, you are the link that links me to the collective unconscious so that I can summon my Personas. All the mythological figures are shaped from human's thoughts, and the collective unconscious is the manifestation of humanity's collective thoughts. If my link with the collective unconscious were to be severed, then I may lose my Personas." He nodded to himself several times. "So, you really did put everything into consideration."

"Well, Elizabeth was the one who told me about this, so I'm not really sure," Summer said. "Still, if it can help you save Remnant, then it's all good."

"How carefree of you," Makoto deadpanned. "Now I see why you're Ruby's mother."

Summer chuckled. "Well, what if I told you that I specifically chose Kotone Yuuki as your mother so that you could enjoy getting hurled into a Grimm-infested forest?"

"Now you're reminding me of Yang…" Makoto sighed. "Oh well, it's time for me to go."

"Wait, before you go, I'd like to tell you about the calamity that will soon befall on Remnant," Summer said. "I want you to see it by yourself. Darkness will soon engulf the whole realm, and the light of humanity will no longer be able to fight it. Only you can project the light that will set the realm free." She pointed at Makoto's chest. "The power of miracles is within you. Use it as you see fit."

"I understand. Whether it ends up with my sacrifice or not, the Universe Arcana is going to be used again," Makoto said. "Still, thank you for everything."

"Just thanking me once is enough." Summer smiled. "And please keep watching over my daughters, okay? And please get along with them. Don't fight too much with Yang, if you can help it. And please continue pampering Ruby, but not too much. You do know that even when she's smiling, she's hurting inside, right?"

"I'll see what I can do…" Makoto nodded.

"And… if you can allow yourself a little bit of selfishness, then… will you protect Ruby? For me?"

There was a sad smile on Summer's visage as everything started to blur for Makoto.

"If you can allow yourself to prioritize her over the whole world, will you please… please protect her?"

For Makoto, the tears of a loving mother could be a powerful thing. They almost compelled him to drop on his knees. Still, he did not answer her question, because he knew that there would be time for him to answer it in the future.

"After all, roses cannot bloom in the darkness…"

* * *

Once again, Makoto was standing alone at the rooftop. From his estimation, a few minutes had passed since he entered the collective unconscious using the Velvet Card. He looked at the card before he put it into the pocket of his jacket.

He thought that he had to return to his team's dorm and prepare himself. After all, the first class would start soon. So, he walked down the corridor to go to MNRV's dorm. When he arrived, he placed his hand on the knob and opened the door.

Only to see Pyrrha, clad in nothing but her undergarments. It looked like she was about to put on her uniform when Makoto opened the door.

For a while, both Makoto and Pyrrha did nothing as they stared at each other. Makoto noted that the red-haired girl was wearing a strapless bra and side-tie panties, black in color. As a normal boy, he surely could appreciate such a display of beauty, only that he never showed it in his face. As for Pyrrha, her eyes widened in shock as the uniform she was holding with both hands fell to the floor. Her cheeks turned redder by each passing second as they stared at each other.

"Ah…"

Makoto wisely stepped back and closed the door. A few seconds later, he could hear Pyrrha screaming in embarrassment. He sighed as he leaned himself against the adjacent wall, folding his arms over his chest. He decided to wait for a few minutes.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, he heard Pyrrha knocking on the door from inside as she spoke, "Y-you can enter now, Makoto."

And so, Makoto opened the door, and saw Pyrrha, fully-clothed, this time in her school uniform. She averted her eyes, her cheeks were still red due to embarrassment.

Makoto was the first one to speak. "Will 'I'm sorry' suffice?"

"I-it's okay…" Pyrrha squeaked. "It was my fault to begin with, you see? I was a little bit late, and I didn't follow the schedule you set up." She spoke to Makoto apologetically. "So, it should be me who says 'I'm sorry'."

"Hmm…" Makoto mused. "Well, I probably should have knocked." He said. "By the way, where's Ren and Nora?"

"Breakfast," Pyrrha said. "The two seem to get along pretty well, don't they?"

Makoto shrugged. "They're childhood friends, after all."

"Yeah… I suppose that makes sense." Pyrrha tilted her head. "Should we go now?"

"Ah, I need to change into my uniform first."

"Alright."

After Makoto was done changing, both him and Pyrrha went to the cafeteria, walking alongside each other down the corridor, chatting along the way. It seemed that they had a lot of catching up to do since the last time they met.

* * *

One thing that Makoto could describe about Professor Peter Port's class was how atrociously boring the lesson was. Despite his hyper-awareness, he certainly had problem keeping himself attentive to the lesson, and ten minutes after the start of the class, the blue-haired boy had already taken a nap.

As a result of that, he somehow missed everything that happened during the lesson, which somehow involved a certain Schnee and a Boarbatusk. After he woke up at the end of the lesson, Ren gave him the recap of what happened while sighing exasperatedly. It's probably due to him falling asleep in the middle of class.

"In my defense, the class was boring, I couldn't help myself," Makoto reasoned.

While Ren never voiced it out, he kind of agreed with his leader.

* * *

Blake Belladonna admitted that she got along with the members of her team just fine. Yang was boisterous, Weiss was icy cold, and Ruby was weird in a somehow endearing way. While she couldn't exactly appreciate Weiss' scathing and prideful remarks, it was safe to assume that she could accept them as her teammates, even though she couldn't quite trust them just yet.

During Professor Peter Port's class, an incident certainly happened, which somehow involved one of her teammates, Weiss and a Boarbatusk. Being an onlooker, the black-haired girl saw everything from start to finish.

While the heiress emerged victorious, Blake couldn't help but notice that she was trying too hard, probably trying too hard to impress everyone. She wasn't sure, though. Blake could tell that there was dissatisfaction in Weiss' expression, but she couldn't say for sure what made her feel the dissatisfaction. Perhaps it was the arrangement of the team. Or perhaps something else.

Blake sighed. She knew that whatever it was, she might learn it sooner or later. After all, they were a part of a team. Even though she wasn't too keen in forming bonds with others, she knew for sure that over time, she would learn more about the Schnee heiress a little better.

As she looked at Weiss being congratulated by Professor Peter for successfully taking down the Boarbatusk, Blake glanced at a certain someone with blue hair. Somehow, he fell asleep, and his partner and teammate, Lie Ren, was sighing in exasperation. From his look alone, Blake could tell that the green-clad boy had already given up trying to wake the blue-haired boy up.

Her lips curled up into a smile.

"You never change at all, Makoto…"

* * *

Somewhere within the depths of the collective unconscious…

"Roses cannot bloom in the darkness, you said?"

Elizabeth was standing before the great, golden gate, focusing her eyes on the statue placed on it. Stored within the statue was the soul of Summer Rose, the current Great Seal who somehow replaced the previous Great Seal so that he could be reborn in the realm of Remnant.

In return, the Great Seal did not respond.

"Are you sure this is what you desire?" Elizabeth asked.

Once again, no response.

"Why are you so willing to shoulder this burden? It is not your role to be up there, keeping humanity from callously destroying itself." Elizabeth then sighed.

This time, the Great Seal responded.

_"The boy endured. I believe I can do the same too."_

"He is special. But you do not wield the same power as he does, I am afraid…" Elizabeth lowered her head. "I am afraid that your soul will not withstand the pressure. I can feel it that your sense of time has deteriorated. Over time, your memories will soon be gone. You will remain conscious, but your mind will shut down. You will be driven insane from isolation." The former attendant's expression seemed mournful. "Do you wish to have such a cruel fate?"

_"If Remnant is saved, then it will be all worth it."_

Elizabeth closed her eyes.

"Why do you keep denying your own happiness?"

For a while, the Great Seal was silent. Then, it replied.

_"If it can help me make a gentler world for my loved ones, then so be it. Knowing that they are happy is enough for me."_

"So… in the end, you did all this because of your daughters, correct?"

Elizabeth's tone sounded almost accusatory.

The Great Seal responded with a gentle tone, as if indicating the soul within was smiling.

_"You won't believe how far a mother will do or will go for the sake of her children, Elizabeth. You have seen a mother who traveled to the end of the world and beyond, just for her daughters. Humanity's worth of darkness is nothing compared to what a mother is willing to do."_

"Mothers are strange," Elizabeth said bluntly. The Great Seal chuckled.

_"I suppose I cannot argue with you about that. Mothers tend to do the strangest of things."_

Elizabeth turned around. "I believe I shall be on my way. I will see you once again."

_"Thank you for seeing me, Elizabeth. I appreciate it when you are here, talking with me."_

"If my presence can lessen your burden, then I do not mind coming here…" Elizabeth spoke softly. "After all, this is what I can do for you after giving him a second chance in life." After a pause, the former attendant continued, "I should be the one to thank you for everything, for giving him a chance of happiness, for giving him what he was denied in his old life. He may end up choosing his duty as a savior over his own happiness, but still… after a lifetime of being a toy of fate, he can finally be able to choose what he truly wants for himself."

The Great Seal's responded with a soft tone.

_"You truly love him, do you not?"_

Glancing over her shoulder, Elizabeth responded, "Yes."

There was no hesitation in the former attendant's voice. She was stating the truth.

"I love him with all my heart."

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hello, it's me again, Prince Arjuna. Thank you for all the reviews you have given to me. So, this is Chapter 6 of Messianic Rebirth. While the title is The Team, but this chapter seemed to focus more on the relationship between Makoto and Elizabeth, as well as his relationship with Summer. But be worried not, my friends. Next chapter will focus on the other characters as well as some other things. And as for the side note, my beta-reader told me that canonically, Collective Unconscious should be written as 'collective unconscious', which is without capitalization. Apparently, it's mentioned many times in Persona lore and canon, as well as in Persona Q that it should be written as collective unconscious. Just a minor change, so I'm not really bothered by it. So, it's been established that Elizabeth is pretty much in love with Makoto, it's just that due to their nature, they do not pursue a more serious relationship between both of them. Just think of Elizabeth as Makoto's mistress of sorts. And while Makoto won't call himself a chronic womanizer, he definitely appreciates the companionship with females, with him finally understanding the importance of bonds. Just like Yu Narukami, only that he's not too vocal about it.

Also, thanks to **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter. It's so nice working alongside you, my friend. And so, like what I had promised in the last chapter, there will be a Jaune Arc's Review Corner, with special guest, Ruby Rose. And I hope you guys will give me reviews for this chapter. After all, they can motivate the author to write more. Stay tuned for the next chapter, **Chapter 07: The Faunus.** Huzzah!

**Jaune Arc's Review Corner**

Jaune: It's me, Jaune.

Prince: And I'm Prince.

Jaune: Do you have to introduce yourself again? (frowns) You got a long author's note up there, y'know?

Prince: S-so what? I'm an author! Ahem! (clears throat) And for you guys, we're sorry because we don't have Review Corner in the last chapter. As a sign of apology, let me introduce our special guest. (dramatic poses) Introducing, Ruby Rose!

Ruby: Hello!

Jaune: Hey, Ruby. Glad to see you here!

Ruby: I'm glad to be here too, Jaune!

Prince: S-so cute... (drools)

Jaune: (backs away) H-hey, you're aware that Ruby is fifteen, right? You're twenty-three, remember?

Prince: I-I wanna take her home...

Ruby: Umm... (backs away)

Jaune: S-so! Let's start and let the author be with his imagination. And... here's cookies! (brings out a plate of cookies for Ruby)

Ruby: C-cookies?! Yay! (grabs one and starts nibbling like a squirrel)

Prince: (sighs) H-how adorable...

Jaune: Well, let's start with our review corner, shall we?

**This story is currently the best RWBY/Persona crossover for me. The author updates quickly, its well written and doesn't go overboard with the main character. Its also nice on how the MC entered the RWBY world rather than the "just drop him there in a battle scenario" kind of entrance. The only thing I can't really imagine is his main weapon. The gladius and scimitar have fundamentally different designs. A gladius is straight edged, designed for thrusting, and used on foot whereas a scimitar is curved, a cavalry weapon, and used for slashes. Both weapons can of course fulfill any of the roles above, they're just not optimized for each other's role. This is the only thing I have trouble envisioning everytime I read the story for the above reasons. If the author could better describe the weapon this story would have no problems at all. Looking forward to reading more.**

Jaune: So, this is it. Since you're a weapon-otaku here, why don't you answer this one? (looks at Ruby)

Ruby: (puffs up cheeks) Hey, I'm not a weapon-otaku! I'm a weapon-enthusiast! Okay, I guess I can answer this one. You see, Makoto's sword is segmented and consists of a handful of sharp metal bits, just like Crescent Rose. It's hard to describe it with words, but when it's in gladius form, the curved parts which make it into scimitars are hidden within. And the parts are exposed once the gladius turns into a pair of scimitars. Well, it's easier if the author can give the schematic design of Memento Mori, but... (glances at Prince, who's still busy imagining inappropriate things about Ruby).

Jaune: (sighs) I'll remind him next time to include the schematic design. So, that settles it?

Ruby: Guess so.

Jaune: Alright, onto the next review.

**Would be awesome if someone could illustrate the Death Stalker fight through a splash page.**  
** Another good chapter, seems that the some things are starting to get revealed.**  
** Cheers**  
** P.S. I bet Makoto rescued Blake from either a Death Stalker or something else, using his bare hands, during his Wilderness Survival Training**

Ruby: Well, I guess you'll see. Since there's a time-skip between Makoto's rebirth and the current time, it will be revealed bit by bit.

Jaune: About the P.S., maybe? Or maybe not? So, next?

**O.K, since Makoto and Ren are partner it would be funny to see Nora try and get them out of the as you quote 'the most dullest and most boring team' which would be even more funnier if Makoto show his persona in public or to them, funniest reaction of the century anyone.**

** Still, Ozpin and Glynda are starting to figure out that Makoto is more then he should and are likely to die through what he is hiding, wonder how much will they learn when thing go south for him and it will with the White Fang and Cinder and whatever Summer Rose is trying to prevent.**

** And about questions, can you please allow Ruby and Jaune to answer the question from before about the true meaning of Memento Mori.**

Ruby: So, Memento Mori? Hmm... if I'm not mistaken, it means 'remember that you are mortal'. It's a reminder to us that we will eventually die.

Jaune: When I think about it, I never thought about dying before. I mean, we're going to die eventually, but we never bother to think about how we die, and stuff like that. When I think about it again, death is scary.

Ruby: Hmm?

Jaune: What's the matter, Ruby?

Ruby: Oh, i-it's nothing.

Jaune: Huh.

Ruby: S-so, next?

**Another great chapter as always. Now it's time for the customary question when Minaro/Makoto is the protagonist. What's up with The Universe Arcana? Does he have it or doesn't he? Can he use it fully or are their restrictions on it? If it's not a spoiler please quench my curiosity as soon as possible.**

Jaune: From Makoto's interaction with Summer, yes, he has it. It will soon become important in the future.

Ruby: I guess that covers it.

Jaune: So, we'll see you again in the future chapter!

Ruby: Bye!

Prince: I wanna take you home!

Yang: (suddenly appears) No one kidnaps my baby sister!

Prince: (punched) Urk! (dead)

Jaune: Uh, let's hope he won't stay dead too long, or else who's gonna write this story?

Ruby: (pokes Prince's dead body with Crescent Rose)

**Prince Arjuna (2015)**

**Edit:** Changed 'considerable' into 'considerate'.


	7. The Faunus

**~IN MEMORY OF MONYREAK 'MONTY' OUM (1981 - 2015)~**

* * *

The first week at Beacon Academy was quite uneventful for Makoto Yuuki. As a student of the most prestigious learning institution for training future Huntsmen and Huntresses, he attended classes, where he came to learn more about the world he was reborn into. Besides that, he also became much closer to the members of his team.

Considering that four of them were sharing a dorm, it was kind of impossible for them to not get closer. As the leader of the team, it was his responsibility to learn more about his teammates so that their team could work efficiently. Back at his old world, he was more like a field leader than the actual leader of the team, as the official team leader was Mitsuru, but this time, as he was appointed the official leader of Team MNRV, he had to actually deal with being an actual leader. Despite the fact that he didn't mind it at all, he still had his own limits, no matter how talented he was.

Luckily for him, his teammates were there to give him a hand. More often than not, he deferred to his teammates whenever he had to make a decision, and while he might be the one who would call the final shots, he would ask for their opinions first. Among his teammates, Pyrrha Nikos was the most talented in actual leadership, being an ace and all, and became the de-facto second-in-command of Team MNRV. As for Lie Ren, due to him being Makoto's partner, as well as being the other boy of the team, Makoto figured out that he was more comfortable exchanging ideas with him. It helped that Ren was the most levelheaded among them.

And of course, let's not forget about Nora Valkyrie. Despite her eccentricity, Makoto noted that the cheerful girl was important in keeping their spirits up, as well as to help him to focus on whatever he needed to focus on. She was kind of who would become easily distracted and be a little bit of a ditz, but both Ren and Pyrrha were there to keep her in check.

Overall, Makoto thought that he had quite a well-balanced team, which was good because he would be working alongside them for the next four years. Team RWBY, on the other hand, seemed to have some kind of internal conflict, from what the blue-haired boy could see. It was clearly seen from the relationship between the team leader, Ruby Rose, and the heiress of Schnee family, Weiss Schnee. Being the observant person that he was, Makoto could tell that both of the girls had some tension between them, but it mostly died down after a week.

Makoto deduced that Weiss might have disagreed with Professor Ozpin's decision to make Ruby the team leader. Then, when the conflict between them seemed to have died down, Makoto figured that there might be some sort of agreement between both girls regarding the leadership.

Makoto shrugged. Whatever happened to Team RWBY, it wasn't really his business. He just wanted to fulfill his promise to Summer Rose, the one who had replaced him as the Great Seal, by watching over her daughters, Yang and Ruby. He had no interest in getting much closer with them, considering that he had a secret mission to accomplish, and he might as well continue watching over them until the day when he had to save the world from being supposedly destroyed.

He sighed. He knew that it was his fate to be the savior, a messiah that was destined to deliver salvation to those who needed saving. And considering that he had the power to bring forth said salvation, he accepted the role of being the savior of Remnant. When he thought about it again, he didn't have much choice in this matter. There was no one other than himself who could save this realm, so he was the only available choice of becoming the Messiah of Remnant.

Well, he could have just refused the proposal back then when Summer showed up, asking him to save her world. He could have just remained there at the collective unconscious of humanity, serving as the Great Seal to protect humanity from its own darkness. But, refusing her would have meant that he merely let a world, albeit one that was not his, be destroyed. His conscience didn't allow him to do so, however, so he accepted his role.

It's not like he resented the fact of becoming a future martyr once again. It's just that no matter what he did, his future had been predestined from the very beginning. Oh well, there's no use faltering, now that he had gone so far. Might as well finish what he started.

"Makoto… are you alright?"

Makoto could feel a hand touching his shoulder before he stopped walking. He glanced to his side and saw a concerned look on Pyrrha's face. Both of them were on their way back from the library, and both of them seemed to be carrying a few books that they had borrowed from the library.

Seeing the concerned look on the red-haired girl's face, Makoto just shook his head and spoke, "Ah, it's nothing. I was just thinking about a few things…"

"Ah, I see…" Pyrrha mused. "Well, I thought that you might be troubled about, well… what happened to Ren."

"That…" Makoto remembered about his partner, Ren. "Actually, I'm not particularly worried about him. After all," Makoto smiled, "he's with Nora."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right…" Pyrrha said. "Still, I'm sorry for him. It's probably hard for him to lose a family member…"

"Yes, it is hard…" Makoto nodded. He, who had lost so many things in his past life, knew how it felt to lose something or someone precious to him. Two days ago, Ren received a call from his village, telling him that a family member of his had passed away. While he didn't show it on his face, it was clear that he was saddened by the news. After asking for permission from the Headmaster himself, Ren was permitted to return to his village to attend the funeral. And because Nora was considered a family member, she was also allowed to go with Ren. "But I'm sure he'll make it. He's strong."

In order to make his point, he smiled. Pyrrha noticed it, and considering that Makoto only smiled on special occasions, she knew that Makoto really meant what he said. "Well, I suppose you're right, Makoto."

So, they continued walking down the corridor, going to their dorm. As they walked, Makoto felt like there's someone watching them. As a matter of fact, he had been feeling that he might have been followed by someone for the last three or four days. He stopped walking and glanced over his shoulder, and he saw it.

"Eep!"

There was someone, a girl, who immediately hid herself behind the corner as soon as Makoto glanced behind. The girl might have been well-hidden if not due to the fact that he could clearly see a pair of bunny ears sticking out from the corner. He could see the bunny ears twitching several times. Makoto thought that the girl might be unaware that he could clearly see those ears.

Judging from the ears, Makoto deduced that the girl who was currently hiding herself from his view (and failing miserably) might be a Faunus. 'Might' because those ears might be just accessories instead of real ears. But after seeing that those ears were twitching, those ears might be real.

"Pyrrha… do you realize that we have been followed?" Makoto asked the red-haired girl beside him. From the corner, the bunny-eared girl let out a gasp, as if realizing that her bunny ears were fully exposed.

"Huh? Oh, yes…" Pyrrha said. "I thought you noticed."

"I noticed." It really wasn't Pyrrha's fault for not bringing up this matter. "It's just that I've been followed for the last three days. Or was it four?"

"W-well…" Pyrrha averted her eyes. "You see, it's probably because of what happened back then at the cafeteria four days ago."

"Cafeteria?" Makoto blinked. "What happened at the cafeteria?" He remembered meeting his teammates and Team RWBY at the cafeteria, and he was known for his hyper-awareness. What did he actually miss?

"You honestly didn't remember?" Pyrrha frowned.

"I'm probably missing something here. What happened?" Makoto inquired.

"Well, for one thing, what you did at that time was almost legendary," Pyrrha said, sighing as she pinched the bridge of her nose, remembering the event that had happened four days ago. "You became an instant celebrity among the student body, especially among the Faunus, the moment you saved a Faunus girl from being bullied by some jerks by scaring them off with just a glare." Then, she added, her voice sounded a little gloomier than before, "Oh, and I thought she might have been infatuated with you, for whatever reason…"

And Makoto responded to what Pyrrha had just told him in typical Makoto's way.

"Oh."

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 07: The Faunus**

It all happened four days ago, back at the cafeteria…

"LIES! There's no way koala bears can be superior to sloths!" Nora Valkyrie bellowed, pointing an accusatory finger at the leader of her team, Makoto Yuuki, while the latter was lazily eating his lunch. "I demand proof if you want me to acknowledge that koala bears are indeed superior to sloths!" All of them were having their lunches at the cafeteria, and as expected, Nora was having pancakes.

Makoto looked up to look at the eyes of the pouting Nora, whose hands were on her waist. It was clear that both of them were in quite a disagreement, and the other members of Team MNRV, Lie Ren and Pyrrha Nikos, just let out a sigh. Their leader seemed to have made it his habit to bring the argumentative side out of Nora by telling her that koala bears are better than sloths. Both Ren and Pyrrha had no choice but see both Makoto and Nora having their heated debate about which animal that could be considered the better one among the two.

"Funny since you asked me that, Valkyrie…" Makoto said as he put down his fork and knife. "Very well, if you demand proof, then I shall deliver…" He took out something from his blazer, which was some sort of paper. Then he unrolled the paper, revealing a rather elaborate chart regarding the comparison between koala bears and sloths.

"H-how did he keep that thing?" Pyrrha asked, eyes widened when she eyed the chart that Makoto took out from his jacket.

"I tried asking him once," Ren said after sighing before he took a bite of his sandwich. "It's probably for the best if you don't know about it." Judging from his tone, it looked like he knew how Makoto managed to do that, and he'd rather not tell Pyrrha about it because it somehow involved a long-winded explanation.

"Well, if you say so…" Pyrrha shrugged before both of them continued watching both their leader and Nora having their debate, with Makoto explaining to Nora about the reason behind koala bears' superiority to sloths with the help of his chart. A while later, Team RWBY showed up, and they saw the debate between Makoto and Nora.

"Wow… I never thought this kind of debate exists…" The buxom blond girl from the other team, Yang Xiao Long, looked at both Makoto and Nora. Then, she blinked. "Wait, is that a chart?"

Ren sighed. "Yes, it's a chart…"

The black-haired girl from the other team, Blake Belladonna, looked at the chart that Makoto was holding while adding more of his points regarding the superiority of the koala bears to the sloths. "Are they seriously debating about the superiority between koala bears and sloths?"

The way Makoto made his point seemed like he was talking about a really important matter. Nora looked like she was starting to waver as the blue-haired boy added more points.

"I can't believe this…" Weiss Schnee muttered. "How can a childish argument be turned into something that looks like this? It's as if they're discussing about the fate of the world!"

As for Ruby Rose, she threw a punch into the air after hearing Makoto's points regarding the superiority of the koala bears to the sloths. "Koala bears for the win!"

"…And that proves the superiority of these majestic animals to the mere sloths, Valkyrie," Makoto ended his reasoning as he rolled the chart before he put it back into his blazer. As for Nora, she stood up and took two or three steps away from the table before dramatically falling on her knees.

"I-impossible…" Nora wheezed. "H-how… how can sloths lose to mere koala bears? Th-this… w-why… n-no…"

Pyrrha gave Makoto a disapproving look. "Stop bullying Nora, Makoto."

Ren glanced at his childhood friend who looked like she was about to break down in tears. "Makoto, you probably need to do something. She's starting to have an existential crisis."

Makoto blinked a few times before he sighed. He got up from his seat and went to Nora's side. He brought his hand to Nora's shoulder and spoke, "Still, there's no rule saying that koala bears and sloths can't stand side by side as equals. No matter which one is superior, it's no longer relevant…" Makoto smiled. "No matter how superior a koala bear is to a sloth, in my eyes, they're always equal."

"M-Makoto… *sniff* yeah…" Nora rubbed her eyes and smiled at her leader. "You're right. I guess there's no point in debating about which one is better…" With Makoto's help, she got up on her feet.

"Okay, I honestly have no idea what they are talking about," Yang commented.

"Yang, hush! You're ruining a heartwarming moment!" Ruby said to her sister.

Weiss sighed. "No matter how much I hate to agree with Yang, I suppose I can make an exception this time. I don't have any idea about what these two are talking about…" Weiss shook her head.

"I wonder why we should even bother…" Blake deadpanned. "Aren't we here to have our lunches?"

"Ah! Lunch! Now that you mention it, I'm hungry!" Ruby exclaimed.

So, the members of Team RWBY took their seats at the same table as Team MNRV, having their meals.

When Makoto was about to finish his meal, he noticed that Blake was staring at him. She didn't even look at her own food as she did that.

"How can I help you, Blake?" Makoto asked. "Something on my face?"

"Huh?" Blake blinked a few times, noticing that she was staring at Makoto while eating. "Oh… it's nothing…" She averted her eyes before she continued having her meal. Makoto couldn't help but notice that the ribbon-wearing girl had been doing that several times already.

Meanwhile, Nora was talking something about her dreams to the other girls. Apparently, she had been dreaming about the same thing for the last few days, with Ren exasperatedly correcting some of the details regarding her dreams.

And to think that he denied being together-together with Nora. Makoto couldn't help but smile when he remembered Ren's denial regarding that matter when he brought it up.

Ruby noticed that the blue-haired boy was smiling, but before she could say anything about it, they heard the sounds of people laughing. They looked over as the laughing grew louder, and they saw a group of bullies picking on a girl, who seemed to have a pair of rabbit ears on top of her head.

Both teams recognized the group that was picking on the bunny-eared girl, whom they recognized as a Faunus, as Team CRDL that was led by Cardin Winchester, the one who was pulling the poor Faunus girl's ear.

"S-stop!" The girl cried. "Ow!"

Cardin, whose hand was still tugging on the girl's rabbit ear, looked at his teammates, guffawing. "See? I told you it was real!"

Team MNRV, Team RWBY and other students just watched as the girl being bullied by the boys from Team CRDL. Apparently, they seemed to be making fun of her due to her being a Faunus.

"Atrocious…" Even Pyrrha couldn't stand what she had seen. She shook her head in disapproval. She was about to say something when Makoto got up from his seat. "Makoto?"

Slowly, with his hands stuffed into his pockets, Makoto walked over to the direction of the bullies, who continued their bullying on the rabbit girl. Both Team MNRV and Team RWBY could do nothing but just watch as the blue-haired boy approached those boys. Even the usually unflappable Ren was alarmed by this turn of events.

Then, Makoto stopped as he stood behind Cardin, whose treatment towards the rabbit girl was getting rougher before he brought his left hand on the tall boy's shoulder. Feeling that someone was tapping on his shoulder, Cardin glanced over his shoulder and saw Makoto. "What you think you're doi-"

Cardin froze when he saw Makoto, color drained from his face, as if he had seen something truly terrifying. And the blue-haired boy did nothing but threw a glare at him. The other members of the team tried to intervene, but they were stopped when he directed his glare at them instead, causing them to experience the same thing as their leader.

After a while, Makoto closed his eyes before he reopened them, looking at the Faunus girl. His expression seemed significantly softer as he directed his gaze at her before he gestured at her to get away from the table. The girl nodded before she frantically got up from her seat and walked away.

Sighing, Makoto turned on his heel and walked back to his seat. Now that the blue-haired boy had left them, Team CRDL looked like they had recovered from their frozen state, and Cardin immediately slumped on his seat, eyes widened.

As for Makoto, many eyes were on him as he sat back on his seat. He decided to ignore him, pretending as if nothing had happened. The members of his team as well as Team RWBY were staring at him.

"Wh-what… what did you do to them?" Yang said, breaking the silence.

"I glared at them," Makoto answered. "Can't stand what they did to her, so I scared them."

"You… scared them?" Blake asked uncertainly. "With a glare?"

"That's what I said," Makoto stated, acting as if nothing special had happened a while ago.

* * *

"And that's how you became famous…" Pyrrha concluded after she ended her explanation about what happened four days ago to Makoto. "Do you remember?"

"Ah…" It's not like Makoto had really forgotten about such an event happening. It's just that he deemed it to be not important enough to remember. When he thought about it again, using Evil Touch on people like Cardin and his lackeys was a tad excessive, considering how much it would affect them in the long run. Evil Touch was one of his darker Persona skills that could instill fear into other people, either by touching them or looking at them. It would definitely work on weak-willed people, and he didn't think Cardin and his team members were strong-willed enough to resist the dark influence of the spell. "Well, now I do."

Makoto glanced at the corner where the Faunus girl was still hiding. He knew that she was still there because despite her best attempt to stay hidden, he still could see her bunny ears.

So, Makoto decided to do the most logical thing: approach her. He walked over to her direction, and the Faunus girl let out a squeak before Makoto heard the sound of her scrambling on the floor, followed by the sound of her falling on the floor. "Ow!" Makoto stopped walking when he heard that. Then, he shrugged before he continued and got closer to her.

When he managed to take a good look on her, he noticed that she had some kind of doe-eyed look on her, and she was slumped on the floor, probably because of her falling in her attempt to scramble away earlier. She seemed agitated, like a deer caught in headlights, or in the girl's case, like a rabbit caught in headlights. She was attired in a school uniform, like most other students at the Beacon Academy.

"Hey…" Makoto said to the Faunus girl.

"Umm…" The girl was unsure what to say and was surprised when Makoto held out his hand, offering to help her get back on her feet.

"Stand up," Makoto said.

"Y-yes!" The girl squeaked and took Makoto's hand before she got up on her feet.

After she stood up, Makoto studied the girl. He recognized the girl as one of the fellow new students of Beacon, but her name escaped him. She was also one of a few Faunus students. It's not like he could remember everything.

"W-why?" The girl suddenly asked. "Why did you help me?"

"Hmm?" Makoto frowned.

"At that time, back at the cafeteria…" The girl said. From her tone alone, it was clear that the girl was painfully shy. "Why did you stand up for me?"

She was probably referring to that time, when she was bullied by Cardin and his team members. Makoto studied the girl's face before he answered in his usual bored, nonchalant tone, "I can't stand bullies."

"B-but I'm a Faunus…" The girl said sadly. Makoto recalled the time when he first studied about this new realm he was reborn into. The Faunus were often treated like animals or second-class citizens by the humans, and there were some points in history where bloody conflicts occurred in their attempt to gain equality. Even in the present time, the conflicts still occurred, thanks to the existence of the White Fang, a previously nonviolent political organization that had become more violent in recent years. From what Makoto had learned, White Fang is a Faunus organization that was founded after the Faunus Rights Revolution, as an attempt to create peace and unity between Faunus and humans. But thanks to the discrimination and harsh treatment from humans to Faunus, they grew disillusioned, and the organization became what it is recently.

And the Faunus girl before him might have suffered discrimination thanks to her heritage. The bullying might just be one of the things that she had to endure.

"And since when does that matter?" Makoto asked. "Faunus or humans, they're still people." For someone who had literally died for humanity's sins, something this trivial meant nothing to him. He isn't the one to judge people based on their races, beliefs, creeds, or anything that set people apart. If anything, he only accepted.

The girl looked at Makoto, eyes widened. Then, after a while, she smiled. "…Still, thanks. I… I really appreciate it. Your help, I mean."

"It's only natural…" Makoto said, shrugging.

"Velvet…" The girl said.

"Hmm?" Makoto blinked a few times.

"Velvet. That's my name," the girl told Makoto. "Velvet Scarlatina."

"Ah." Makoto nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Velvet." He held out his hand, offering a handshake.

Hesitantly, Velvet shook his hand. Makoto pretended to not notice the light shade of red on the Faunus' cheeks. "S-so… umm… n-nice to meet you too."

Then, they noticed that Pyrrha was approaching them. Velvet looked alarmed when the red-haired girl approached them.

"Don't worry, she won't bite," Makoto said nonchalantly. "She's Pyrrha Nikos, my teammate." He looked at Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, meet Velvet." Then, he looked back at Velvet. "Velvet, meet Pyrrha."

"Hello." Pyrrha gave the bunny girl a friendly smile.

"Umm… h-hello," Velvet said. "I-it's nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Pyrrha replied.

Velvet looked at Makoto in a rather expectant way before the blue-haired boy realized that he hadn't told her his name yet. Well, at least he still had the decency to appear sheepish for forgetting to tell her his name before he said, "My name is Makoto Yuuki." He gave the rabbit-eared girl a small smile. "You can call me Makoto."

"Y-yes! Umm… w-well, s-so, I shall be on my way, then! G-good day!" And so, Velvet immediately left the pair, walking down the corridor in a rather hasty way.

"Huh…" Makoto looked on as Velvet went away. "Well, that's about it, I suppose. Let's go, Pyrrha."

"Ah, yes…" Pyrrha said. So, both of them walked down the corridor that led them to their dorm.

* * *

Velvet was delighted! She finally managed to thank her savior for what he had done for her. While it might be rather insignificant to him, but to Velvet, there's no way she could forget the day when someone finally stood up for her.

Life was rarely kind for her. More often than not, she was treated by humans with prejudice and disdain due to her heritage as a Faunus. And it was made even worse by the fact that her rabbit ears made her stand out among the crowd like a sore thumb. A friend of hers once suggested to her to put on some hat to cover those ears, but she countered by telling her that a hat made her feel uncomfortable. And those ears of hers were quite sensitive.

And having those ears tugged was a lot painful than it actually looked due to her sensitivity. But she got used to it because she was always bullied when she was little by human children. And let's not mention about all those unflattering nicknames that she got just because she had a pair of extra ears on top of her head.

She was lucky enough to have teammates who were quite understanding about her predicament, but like the event back at the cafeteria a few days ago, she was still having some problems with the human students, who saw her as a freak or an animal instead of a person. She knew that there were some human students who didn't see her as any of those, but they didn't have enough courage to stand up for her. She couldn't exactly blame them for it, though.

Makoto Yuuki, on the other hand, was different. He defended her as if it was the most natural thing to do, and when he was asked about why he did so, he reasoned that it didn't matter whether she was a human or a Faunus because she was still a person above all else. He accepted her for who she was, and he didn't judge her for being a Faunus. For Velvet, being treated like this sure was refreshing.

"Makoto Yuuki…" Velvet muttered. There were times when she believed that no human would ever accept her due to her being a Faunus, and each time when she believed such a thing, she would force herself to give humans a chance.

And from her meeting with the blue-haired teen a while ago, she felt assured that it's all worth it.

* * *

He shouldn't be there.

A being such as him shouldn't be existing. There's no way a being like him could exist. It should be impossible.

And yet, here he was, alive and breathing. He could feel his heart beating. He could feel the heat of his own body. He could feel the fabric of his clothes touching his skin.

He was alive, and being alive was against everything he stood for.

"I'm… alive?" He muttered before he immediately brought his hand to his mouth. He didn't know how long it had been since he was 'alive', and he was surprised that he could actually talk by using that mouth of his. He couldn't even remember the moment when he started becoming 'alive'. "I can talk…"

He tried to familiarize himself with his new state of existence. He knew that he always existed, but not like this. He looked down to his palms before he clenched his hands into fists. He noticed that he was wearing a black-buttoned and white dress shirt with folded black sleeves, as well as black suspenders and a pair of black pants. Wrapped around his neck was a long, yellow scarf.

Having no direction to go, he continued walking down the land. His surroundings were devoid of life, and he could tell that he was the only one alive in the area. He snorted, noticing the irony about him being the only one alive, considering his own nature.

As he walked, he started to recall some other details about himself. He remembered a name, a name that he could use to refer himself as, but he knew that the name wasn't actually his. But considering that he was alive at the moment, he needed that name.

He didn't know how long had passed since he gained awareness of his surroundings and of himself. He might have been walking for a few hours. Or probably a few days. Or maybe a few weeks. Probably months. Years, perhaps.

Or probably he had been walking forever, he couldn't tell. Even so, he didn't stop walking.

But a sound prompted him to stop. It was the sound of a twig being stepped on. When he stopped, he glanced over his shoulder to see where the sound came from, and he saw a person.

One thing he noticed about the person was that it was a girl with shoulder-length white hair. She was short and clad in white, furred jacket. She was also wearing a short black skirt as well as a pair of thigh-high stockings, which were black in color. She seemed to be dressed in order to cover herself from coldness, and he just realized that it was indeed very cold. She also wore a white ushanka on top of her head, and the fur cap seemed to have an emblem which was shaped like a bear's head.

And one thing that caught his attention was the huge thing she was holding. She was holding some kind of weapon which was too huge for her size. Strapped on her back were a few harpoons that could be launched by the huge weapon she was holding, and she was aiming the harpoon launcher at him, with her finger on the trigger.

He instinctively brought up his hands, trying to tell her that he didn't pose any harm. While he knew that the harpoon wouldn't bring real harm to him, considering his nature, the living part of him decided that he didn't want to be skewered by a harpoon anytime soon.

"I'm unarmed, see?" He said to the girl.

The girl studied him, her harpoon still primed at him before she lowered her weapon.

"Not a Grimm…" The girl said. "This place is dangerous. Why are you here?"

"Well… I'm somehow lost, I guess?" He said. "Uh, if you don't mind, will you show me the way where I can have everything sorted out? I'm actually kinda confused here." He smiled blandly. "I don't know why I'm here, actually."

The girl blinked several times before she turned around. "Follow me," she said in a rather dispassionate tone. "Hut is over there. My hut."

"Oh, thank you…" He said as he followed the girl.

"Olga…" The girl said.

"Olga?"

"Yes, Olga." The girl nodded as she led him down the woods. "Olga Savinovskaya…" She pointed at herself. "My name."

"Ah, nice to meet you, Miss Olga…" He said. Then he realized that Olga was glancing over her shoulder, looking at him expectantly. It seemed that she wanted him to tell her his name.

Well, the name he knew wasn't actually his name, but since it was the only name he could remember, might as well use it to introduce himself.

"Ryoji…" He said. "My name is Ryoji Mochizuki…"

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **So, Prince Arjuna has returned. I'm sorry for two-month hiatus, because I was somehow having a writer's block at that time. But don't worry, now that I'm back into the game, yeah! And while it's quite late, I was and still am saddened by the passing of the creator of RWBY, our friend Monty Oum. A tragic loss, I might say. He was so young, so talented, yet he was taken away too early for us. Still, I'm sure this won't stop us, right? Let's take a look at his rather inspirational quote that somehow received a great deal of attention after his death:

_**"Can you match my resolve? If so then you will succeed. I believe that the human spirit is indomitable. If you endeavor to achieve, it will happen given enough resolve. It may not be immediate, and often your greater dreams is something you will not achieve within your own lifetime. The effort you put forth to anything transcends yourself, for there is no futility even in death."**_

I'm not sure whether I can match his resolve, but I'm sure that one day, I can answer that question. Perhaps, one day. Rest in peace, Monty.

So, let's move on to the story, shall we? About Olga Savinovskaya, she's actually an OC that I somehow thought of a while ago. Don't worry. She won't take the spotlight anytime soon, because this story is a story of Makoto Yuuki, not some OCs that I made. Also, I have to clarify that I characterize Makoto by taking his characterizations from the Movie, Persona Q, the manga and what most fans assumed about his personality. So, don't sue me if you think that Makoto isn't acting like how you think he acts.

Also, I don't think I want to make another Review Corner anymore, because I don't feel like doing it. So, sorry for Jaune's fans, then. Well, I may think of some ways to introduce him into this story in one way or another, but... that will be a thing to see in the future, and the future is uncertain.

And I'm also aware of the fact that due to Volume 2, Velvet isn't actually a first-year student, but then... I decided to say 'screw that' to that fact and made her a first-year. Well, it's easier this way.

Let's not forget **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter. It is so nice to work alongside you. Please look forward for the next chapter, **Chapter 08: The Fall.** Stay tuned!

**Prince Arjuna (2015)**


	8. The Fall

Ryoji Mochizuki followed the white-haired girl who called herself Olga Savinovskaya to her hut, which was located not too far from the place where she found him. The girl didn't say anything as she led him to the hut, and Ryoji thought that it would be nice to try to get the girl to talk.

"So, uh… you're living alone?" Ryoji asked.

"Yes," Olga answered without looking at Ryoji.

"I see…" Ryoji mused. "You're not living with your parents?"

"Dead," Olga said without missing a beat.

"Ah… I'm sorry, then," Ryoji said. Hearing Ryoji's words, Olga frowned before she glanced over her shoulder. He didn't sound like he was sorry at all. If anything, Ryoji seemed to be rather blasé in learning that her parents were no more.

Shrugging, Olga continued leading the scarf-wearing boy to her hut. When they arrived, Olga looked at Ryoji and spoke, "My hut."

Ryoji looked at Olga's hut. "Well, seems comfy enough," he commented. Actually, it was more like a yurt, which consisted of an expanding wooden circular frame carrying a felt cover. Beside the yurt was a small truck which seemed to be specifically designed to travel through frozen landscape. "Do you move often?" He asked Olga.

Olga nodded. "Been travelling for my whole life," she said. "Have no direction to go."

"Ah, I see…" Ryoji said before he approached the yurt. "Say, don't you… feel alone? I figured that it might be a little lonely if you've been travelling solo. Don't you, well… have a travelling companion or something?"

Olga studied Ryoji's face before she shook her head. "I have no travelling companion." She also went to the yurt before she took off her white ushanka from her head. "Found some people while travelling, accompanied them to their destinations, then left them be."

Ryoji blinked when he looked at Olga's uncovered head. He swore that he just saw a pair of animal ears twitching on her head, despite the fact that she still had her human ears. "Umm… are those… animal ears?"

Olga tilted her head, not expecting that question. She put down her harpoon launcher before she touched her animal ears. "I'm a Faunus." She gave Ryoji a quizzical look. "You don't know?"

"Faunus?" Ryoji said bemusedly. "Well, actually… can you tell me what that is? I don't think I know what is going on here. And… I don't think I'm in the world that I used to know."

"You… don't know?" Olga asked.

Ryoji nodded. "Yeah, I don't know. I think, well…" He scratched the back of his head. "I might not come from this world. This world seems to be different compared to the one I know. And I swear that I might have seen a broken moon some time ago…" He let out a chuckle. "Did someone do something to the moon and broke it?"

Olga blinked a few times before she entered her yurt. A while later, she walked out of her yurt, carrying a thermos in her hand.

She opened the thermos and poured the water into a cup. Then, she handed the cup to Ryoji. "Drink," she said.

"Oh, thank you," Ryoji said, accepting the cup. "I'm rather parched, actually."

As Ryoji had his drink, Olga spoke, "Tell me more." Her eyes were focused on Ryoji while she was holding her own cup. "You're from a different world. Tell me more about it…"

Ryoji lowered the cup and looked at Olga. "You… actually believe me?"

"You don't seem to be lying," Olga stated. "Can tell if you're lying, and you're not."

"Ah, you can somehow detect if someone's lying, huh?" Ryoji mused before he took another sip of his drink. He felt much warmer after drinking the water given to him by Olga. Perhaps it was some sort of liquor? "Does it have something to do with you being this 'Faunus'?"

For a while, Olga didn't answer. Then, she nodded. "Hear your heartbeats. You're not lying."

"Well, I guess there's no real harm in telling you about me, then," Ryoji shrugged. "But, please promise me to not be afraid, Olga. Some of the things that I'm going to tell you are rather… unpleasant."

Olga studied Ryoji's face before she nodded.

"Hmm… for starters, let's begin with this one," Ryoji began. "I'm not a human."

Olga gave Ryoji a skeptical look, as expected. Then she went closer to Ryoji, and much to his curiosity, she sniffed him.

"You smell human," Olga stated.

"Yeah, I kinda sorta smell like a human, and that's the greatest compliment someone can give to me," Ryoji said, smiling. "But, my true nature can never be denied. Ryoji Mochizuki may look unmistakably human, but fundamentally, I am not." He smiled sadly. "I'm a monster."

"A monster?" Olga frowned.

Ryoji nodded as he set his cup aside. "Yes…" He closed his eyes. "Prepare yourself. It won't be… pretty." His body was wrapped in an azure glow before a shadowy substance emerged from the ground, blanketing the entirety of his body into a black cocoon. Olga was visibly startled when she saw this and braced herself for whatever that would come after this.

A gloved hand tore the black cocoon from within before a black creature with a metallic, draconic helmet emerged from the torn cocoon. Coffins were seen arched over the creature's back like some sort of wings, and in one hand, the creature was holding a long sword that had no guard. Due to its size, it loomed over Olga, who froze upon seeing such a creature.

The stoicism that the girl displayed earlier had cracked and was replaced by fear as the creature stood before her, its coffin wings stretching out from his back. She noticed that the sky turned darker by the creature's appearance.

**"This is my true appearance…"** The creature spoke with Ryoji's voice overlapped with a monstrous one. **"This is what I truly am. I am what all living beings fear. I bring forth the end to all lives."** The creature tipped its head. **"I am Death."**

Olga was speechless. The creature before her claimed itself to be Death. The feeling of dread upon gazing such a creature caused her to feel weakened. She could feel her knees trembling in fear.

Then, the creature reverted back into Ryoji, and the feeling of dread slowly dissipated. It caused her to feel lightheaded, and she almost fell on her knees, Luckily, Ryoji was there to catch her. After steadying herself, she gave Ryoji a thankful nod.

"Uh, you alright?" Ryoji asked. "My bad. It's probably too much for someone like you to see my true form."

"Are you here to take my life?" Olga asked.

Ryoji thought about it for a moment after hearing Olga's question. "Well, logically speaking, that should be it. But, no…" He shook his head. "I don't think I'm going to take your life anytime soon. At least, not yet…" He gave Olga a smile. "After all, Olga, you're also a precious living thing…"

"Precious… living thing?" Olga blinked. "Am I?"

"Yes, you are…" Ryoji nodded. "I may be Death, but I also know the preciousness of Life."

Olga stared at Ryoji's face before she spoke, "Tell me more. Tell me more about yourself…"

"Oh? Ah, yes… let's see…" Ryoji mused. "How about…"

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 08: The Fall**

"So, this is Forever Fall, huh?"

A group of students, which consisted of a few teams, were led by Professor Goodwitch through a forest bustling with red leaves and gray trunks. The students were mesmerized by the sight. Among the students, there were Team MNRV and Team RWBY, as well as a few other teams.

"It's beautiful!" One of the students exclaimed.

The Huntress who was with the students spoke, "Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed very beautiful." She was smiling as she saw some of the students enjoying themselves while they were in the forest. Some of them even took a selfie with their scrolls. One particular student, Yang Xiao Long, seemed to be enjoying herself too much because she seemed to be dragging her poor little sister away to take some pictures. "But remember, we are not here to sight-see…" Glynda said as her expression turned serious. "Please remember the assignment that Professor Peach has given to all of you. And considering that this area is full of creatures of Grimm, I will have to make sure that none of you die while carrying out the assignment."

Earlier, Professor Peach had tasked the students to collect samples from the trees deep inside the forest. This might be a rather easy task, if not due to the presence of the creatures of Grimm in the forest. That was why Professor Goodwitch was there to watch over the students.

"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap," Professor Goodwitch continued. "Make sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous here by 4 o'clock. Have fun!"

So, the teams took their separate ways in order to collect the red sap from the trees. Team MNRV and Team RWBY decided to go together, with the leader of Team RWBY, Ruby, insisting that they weren't really competing. The leader of Team MNRV, Makoto, agreed with her.

"Professor Goodwitch told us to have fun too! So, let's enjoy ourselves while we're at it!" Ruby said cheerfully as she carried two empty jars.

Weiss let out a sigh as she looked at the leader of her team. "Aren't you being too carefree?" Then, she smiled as she looked around her. "Then again, enjoying ourselves every now and then doesn't sound like a bad idea. This place is beautiful."

"Agreed." Blake nodded.

As for Team MNRV, the team leader, Makoto, looked at his surroundings. "So, this place is called Forever Fall because of the red leaves, huh?" His hands were in his pockets as he observed the red-leaved trees.

"I guess that's the idea so far," Pyrrha said. "Now then, let's get started." She took one empty jar. "Let's be careful, though. Like Professor Goodwitch said, this place is full of those creatures of Grimm."

"You guys go first," Ren said. "We'll watch over to look out for them."

"And I'm together with Ren!" Nora said enthusiastically. "And when I said together, I don't mean 'together-together'!"

Makoto sighed. "Yeah, we know. You two are not 'together-together', we get it."

Nora beamed cheerfully. "Glad you understand, leader!"

Sometimes, Makoto was astonished by how far these two would deny that they were intimate with each other. Nora insisted that they weren't 'together-together' while Ren said that they were childhood friends and nothing more. Well, as long as they were happy, Makoto had no real problem with that.

He swore that he saw these two snuggling against each other when they thought nobody noticed. And he respectfully kept any comments that he had about what he saw to himself. These two deserved their privacy, after all.

Makoto shrugged as he took an empty jar so that he could fill the red sap from the trees into it. Then, he saw other students who were from Team CRDL not too far from them. The leader of the team, Cardin, seemed to be glaring at him before they went away.

Yang went to his side as she saw what happened. "Welp, I guess he really hates you, Mako." She glanced at the blue-haired boy beside her. "But he probably hates everyone he cannot bully."

Makoto glanced at Yang before he shrugged. "My charm is dangerous. I should learn to control it."

Yang laughed. "Pfft-hahaha, just look at you! How can you say something like that with that face? Man, I can never figure you out, you know that?"

"What can I say? I'm a mysterious person with blue hair, after all…" Makoto said. "But enough talk, let's get moving. You should go back to your team, Xiao Long. And…" His expression softened. "Watch out for the creatures of Grimm, too. I can sense some of them around us, waiting for the right moment to attack."

Yang's expression turned serious. "Yes. You be careful too, Mako."

"Like I said, stop calling me Mako," Makoto groused. "But yes, we'll be careful."

And so the teams went to gather the red sap from the trees. It was a really simple assignment, but due to the presence of the creatures of Grimm around the area, they had to be cautious. They started collecting the red nectar from the trees. While it might look like an easy job, it was actually quite challenging.

Pyrrha smiled at her leader when Makoto let out a grunt after filling half of his jar with the red sap. "What's wrong, Makoto? Are you tired already?"

"Well, when I first thought about becoming a Huntsman, I don't think collecting tree sap was part of the job requirements." Makoto shrugged. "But, oh well… I guess this kind of assignment has its own merits, right?"

Pyrrha nodded. "Of course. Becoming Hunters isn't just about fighting, right?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Pyrrha…" Makoto agreed.

Makoto looked at his half-filled jar, and then at Pyrrha's, which was also half-filled. But unlike him, she didn't look too tired. The girl was seriously an ace, Makoto thought to himself.

Sighing, he observed his surroundings, seeing all the trees with red leaves all around him. There was no wonder this forest was called Forever Fall. This place looked like it was perpetually autumn. Fall season was a season in which he didn't have many fond memories of, like that time when SEES was betrayed by Shuji Ikutsuki and some other revelations that many others would rather not accept. And the season also reminded him of the prophecy that almost ended the world. While he might have performed the miracle to avert the catastrophe from claiming all lives on Earth, it wasn't a pleasant experience for him, as it ended with his death.

Shaking his head, Makoto tried to distract himself from getting too bothered with the word 'fall'. He couldn't just simply associate a season with a prophecy of the end of the world. He decided to resume collecting the sap from the trees when he suddenly felt a sharp, stinging pain in his head.

"Urgh!" He almost dropped his jar, and Pyrrha, who wasn't too far from him, noticed it.

"Makoto, what's wrong?" The worried Pyrrha asked.

Before Makoto could respond to that, suddenly a feeling of vertigo washed over him. It felt like there was a sudden change in the air, as the sky shifted its color. The red color from the leaves was replaced by the dullness of eerie green. Noises abruptly faded out, replaced by silence. Other people, even Pyrrha and the rest of Team MNRV and Team RWBY were nowhere to be seen, and sinister, human-sized coffins seemed to have taken their places.

The ambiance in the air didn't bring any comfort in Makoto's heart as he recognized the phenomenon that occurred before him. Gritting his teeth, he hissed out two words that sounded like a curse, "Dark Hour…" His hand twitched as he moved it to his holstered Evoker.

He didn't know how or why it happened, but this phenomenon, based from his past experiences, was nothing but a problem. The existence of the Dark Hour was to herald the Fall, the end of the world. The Shadow of the Thirteenth Arcana, Death, would call forth Nyx, a godly being that would bring end to all the living beings on the planet.

And he instantly knew what sort of catastrophe that Summer Rose had talked about.

"So… it is the Fall all over again, huh?" Makoto muttered, his expression seemed grim. He had already taken out his Evoker when he heard familiar noises as masked creatures emerged from the darkness. These creatures resembled the creatures of Grimm, but he knew that they were different altogether. "Never thought I was going to see you all again…" Makoto forced himself to smile before he spat out a word, "Shadows."

He was surrounded by dozens of Shadows, bearing the masks that signified the Arcana those creatures represented. He drew out his sword in his right hand and his Evoker in his left.

"Since the Shadows are here, does that mean the Appraiser is in this world as well?" Makoto spoke to himself. He cocked the gun-shaped device before he brought it to his temple. "So, my role here is made clear. I will have to make another sacrifice, it seems…" He chuckled darkly as he placed the barrel of the Evoker to his head, feeling the cold surface of the gun-shaped device on his temple.

He laughed. He couldn't resist it.

After all, no matter what he tried, he was nothing but a toy of fate. No matter how much he wished otherwise, his future had been predestined.

He was born in this world to become a martyr once again.

Somehow, that thought brought comfort to him. After all, nothing had changed. If it was his duty to do so, then he would gladly give up his life for the sake of the world. He would once again leave his loved ones for the sake of his duty as a savior of the world.

It would pain him, but he had already accepted it. He knew that it would hurt him to leave this world, a world that he had come to love, but he also knew that no matter how great the pain would be, it would all be worth it.

If he could save a world from itself, with his life as a price, then he would do it again without regret.

"Haha…" Makoto chuckled to himself. "Fate sure loves making me her bitch, it seems…" As the Shadows closed in, his smile grew wider as his finger moved to the trigger of his Evoker. "Per…" That was it, the feeling of adrenaline rush. He missed it so much. "So…" The sign of him being alive, it was something that he truly missed after being reborn in this realm. He wished to savor the feeling. "…Na."

He pressed the trigger, and the sound of glass breaking filled the air.

And the sound of a beastly, inhuman roar followed after that.

…

"Makoto? Makoto, what's wrong?"

Makoto blinked a few times when he felt a hand grabbing his shoulder, shaking him a few times. He shook his head as he came back to his senses, realizing that the sky wasn't green, and other people weren't in coffins. The one who grabbed his shoulder was Pyrrha, who showed him a concerned face.

In fact, not only she was worried, but also Ren and Nora, as well as the members of Team RWBY. Ruby and Yang went closer to him, and judging from their faces, they were concerned about him. Weiss tried to look aloof, but she also gave him a worried look while standing a distance away from him. Blake was also the same as the heiress, seemingly alarmed by what happened to him.

"Makoto, are you alright?" Ren asked as he stood beside Makoto. "You've been staring off into the distance and you didn't even respond to us when we tried to call you."

Makoto looked at his partner, his brow creased in confusion. There was no sign of the Dark Hour or Shadows around him. Nobody was turned into coffins, and no Shadows were surrounding him, preparing to attack. His Evoker was also still in its holster, showing no indication of being pulled out.

Ruby looked at Makoto's face anxiously. "M-Makoto… are you fine? Are you sick or something?"

"You were staring there for three full minutes, Mako," Yang told the blue-haired boy. "You didn't even blink! That's creepy," she added. "Did you have an aneurysm or something like that?"

Makoto looked around confusedly as he was bombarded by questions from his teammates and the members of Team RWBY. He was unable to come up with an answer to any of those questions before Weiss decided to intervene.

"Give him a little bit of space!" She told her teammates. "He's confused now, and don't make him more confused with all your questions!" Her teammates gave her funny looks before the heiress coughed into her fist, realizing what she had just said. Then, she let out a huff and added, "I mean, you can't just ask him questions like that! It's rude!"

"Wow, did I just hear that right?" Yang tilted her head, glancing at Weiss, grinning. "Should've checked the weather report earlier. It's probably gonna snow after this."

Weiss glared at Yang. "Wh-what are you trying to imply?"

"Well, what can I say?" Yang shrugged exaggeratedly. "Our Ice Princess is suddenly acting out of character. I bet snow's gonna fall here. Might as well change the name of this place to 'Forever Winter'."

Hearing Yang's joke somewhat helped Makoto to fully regain his bearing. "…I can never fully comprehend your sense of humor, Xiao Long."

"Oh, our space traveler has finally returned home! Congratulations!" Yang said as she went to tap Makoto's shoulder several times. "So, how does it feel to come back from your space travel? Did you get me some of the broken pieces of the moon as souvenirs?"

"Somehow, I got a feeling that whatever we are trying to focus on gets derailed in the lamest way possible," Blake said in a deadpan tone.

Weiss sighed. "Just trust Xiao Long to turn any serious discussion into something that cannot be taken seriously anymore." She placed her hands on her hip as she continued, "And for your information, space travel programs are still under development." A few curious pairs of eyes looked at her. "W-well, I have my sources!"

"Oh, oh! I want some pieces of the moon! I bet they taste like cheese!" Nora suddenly interjected, raising her hand cheerfully.

Pyrrha just looked at her partner and the other girls discussing about the moon's taste and space travel. "Umm… I have no idea what is going on here." The girls continued bickering about something that had nothing to do with what happened to Makoto earlier. It felt rather surreal, when she thought about it.

"I am Nora's childhood friend, and even I find their conversation strange," Ren said. "Granted, Nora is with them, but still…" He shrugged. "Putting their conversation about space travelling aside," he looked at Makoto as he ignored the conversation between the girls about space travelling, "what happened to you? You didn't even respond to us when we called your name. And Pyrrha said you were clutching your head before you suddenly went zombie on us."

"It's…"Makoto looked down. He couldn't simply tell the others that he somehow hallucinated about being in a parallel dimension where the world was dead and filled with creatures born from inner darkness in the hearts of men, and all people were turned into coffins. "It's nothing. Just a little distracted." He tried to sound convincing, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to convince them entirely. "It happens sometimes."

"Distracted?" Pyrrha, as expected, wasn't convinced.

"Yes, and…" Makoto heaved a sigh. "Let's not talk about this. I…" His voice almost sounded pleading as he spoke. "I don't think we can talk about this here…"

"Makoto…" Pyrrha's gaze softened as she noted Makoto's tone. She exchanged glance with Ren, who nodded. "Right, I understand. We won't ask you." Then, she smiled as she brought her hand to Makoto's back. "But once you feel much better, please don't hesitate to tell us, okay? I'm all ears."

"Pyrrha's right, Makoto…" Ren said. "Feel free to talk about it with us anytime you want." He also smiled at him, which was rare for the usually stoic boy. "Well, if you think it's a sensitive matter that you can't just tell the girls, just tell me." Pyrrha raised one eyebrow as she glanced at Ren after hearing that. Noticing this, Ren added, "Contrary to popular belief, boys also have things to worry about, you know?"

Makoto looked at them before he finally allowed himself to smile. "Thanks, I… I will consider it."

Ren and Pyrrha nodded upon hearing his words. At least there would be time when he could finally tell them about what happened to him back then. "Putting that aside, let's finish what we started." She gestured at her jar, which was already full. "And… don't worry, Makoto. I can help you finish yours too if you want."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary…" Makoto said as he glanced at his half-filled jar. But, after being stared by both Pyrrha and Ren, he finally relented. "…Fine, just help me."

Meanwhile, the other girls were busy discussing about space travel, except Ruby, who didn't participate in the discussion. She was looking at Makoto, who was being helped by both Pyrrha and Ren to collect his share of sap, and she seemed worried.

"Makoto…" The girl in red muttered before she adjusted her cape.

* * *

The assignment of collecting the red sap from the trees at the forest of Forever Fall went on without much trouble. No creatures of Grimm suddenly showed up to attack the students, which was good. Still, there were students who got themselves injured while collecting the red sap. Apparently, those students, who were the members of Team CRDL, were injured after being attacked by Rapier Wasps, some sort of insects that were decidedly not native to Forever Fall. How they ended up in the forest, people could only guess, but one could assume that it was Team CRDL themselves who brought those insects into this place in their attempt to pull a prank on someone.

One could say that their attempt at pranking backfired on them when they accidentally drenched themselves in the red sap they collected, causing them to be attacked by the Rapier Wasps, because those insects liked sweet juice like the red sap collected from the trees in the forest of Forever Fall. It was an unfortunate event for Team CRDL. One could assume that they might end up developing a phobia towards anything that could remind them of the wasps, even the sounds of flying mosquitos.

On the plus side, other students didn't seem to show them much sympathy, considering that the members of Team CRDL consisted of jerks and bullies. Some might even rejoice after hearing the news, saying that it was long overdue and karma.

Putting the news about Team CRDL aside, Team RWBY and Team MNRV were having fun after doing the assignment at Forever Fall. They continued their conversation about space travel, and this time, Pyrrha and Ren also joined in.

Strangely enough, the leaders of both teams weren't there. Makoto had sneaked out of the room while the others were busy discussing about what kinds of things could be found in space (Nora had been specifically taking dibs on space sloths, which was expected of her). Ruby followed suit a few minutes after Makoto sneaked out of the room.

"Found you," Ruby said as she arrived at the rooftop of the dormitories, where Makoto was staring at the broken moon. She was in her nightwear, which consisted of a black tank-top and rose-patterned pants. She was carrying two mugs of drinks in her hands.

Hearing Ruby's voice, Makoto turned around and looked at the girl. "Ruby…" He smiled at her. "Aren't you going to join the others? I thought you might be interested in space travel."

Ruby giggled as she walked over to Makoto's direction. "Nah, not interested. I mean, what's so special about that moon over there?" She looked at the moon above. "I mean, I don't think it's steady enough for us to land on. I bet it's going to crumble down to pieces if we land a rocket on it." Then, she held out one of the mugs to Makoto. "Have some milk. I hope you like it sweet." She smiled at the blue-haired boy.

"Thanks," Makoto said as he accepted the mug. "Let's take a seat, shall we?"

"Y-yeah, a seat…" Ruby nodded. So, both the leaders of Team RWBY and Team MNRV sat on the edge of the building of their dormitories, drinking their milk. Somehow, the girl seemed bashful as she sat beside the blue-haired boy.

Ruby didn't say anything, so Makoto also said nothing as they continued watching the moon in the sky.

"S-so, umm…" Ruby finally broke the silence as she held her mug with both hands. "A-about what happened earlier, w-well…"

"Were you worried?" Makoto asked.

Slowly, Ruby nodded. "Yeah, I was worried," the girl admitted. "Yang's also worried. Even Weiss and Blake were worried." Her silver eyes were focused on Makoto's. Both pairs of eyes with different shades of silver were looking into each other before Ruby continued, "You were staring off into space back then, and you didn't even respond to us when we tried to call you." Then she looked away, fidgeting a bit. "W-well, we're fellow leaders, aren't we? So, umm… I do think that maybe, well… just maybe," she fidgeted again before she continued, "we can talk about it?"

"You want to know about what happened to me?" Makoto asked, raising one of his eyebrows while looking at the leader of Team RWBY.

"Y-yeah, well…" Ruby hesitated as she looked at her half-empty mug of milk. "If you don't mind, that is."

Makoto sighed. Due to some reasons, Ruby seemed rather fidgety, and he wasn't that oblivious for not noticing what this actually meant. He'd rather not think about it. "Ruby… thank you." He smiled at the girl. "Still, I'm not prepared to tell anyone about this yet. It's… sort of complicated, you see? I'm not sure if it's even right to tell anyone about this."

"I… I see…" Ruby mused, seemingly disappointed.

"Still, I'm glad that you offered to talk to me about it," Makoto added. "It means a lot to me, you know?"

"R-really?" Ruby asked, her eyes widened a bit.

"Yeah, it means a lot to me…" Makoto nodded. "Once I'm prepared, I'll talk to you about it."

"Promise?" Ruby asked eagerly.

"Promise," Makoto answered. Ruby beamed happily after hearing that. "You're really kind, Ruby."

"K-kind? W-well…" Fidgeting again, Ruby stuttered, "I-it's kinda natural, see? After all, you're my first friend here. And I like helping people! That's what Hunters like us usually do, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Makoto said. For a socially-inept girl, Ruby sure was very idealistic. In a way, he somehow thought that both of them were stark contrasts of each other. He was stoic most of the time while she was cheerful. He was realistic while she was idealistic. He was also capable of handling himself in social situations while she was hopeless in them. And let's not get started with the colors of their attires, with Makoto favoring blue while Ruby wore red.

"Hehe, I'm right!" Ruby grinned.

Seeing Ruby's happy smile, Makoto couldn't help himself as he smiled as well. Even so, he simply couldn't forget what he experienced back then at Forever Fall. For a hallucination, it felt quite real.

He simply couldn't forget how it felt to experience the Dark Hour. And he knew that what he had experienced back at the forest wasn't just a mere illusion. It had to be a sign.

A sign that once again indicated that he was going to die for the sake of all lives. Fate once again decided to make him a sacrifice for the greater good.

He would gladly give up his life, of course, but he simply couldn't help but resent the fact that his fate had been predestined from the very beginning. He was simply a puppet attached to strings, moving on the whims of the puppeteer, which was fate itself. He wished that he could make the sacrifice on his own accord, not because of a machination from some unseen force above.

"Ruby…" Makoto spoke. "If the world was about to end, and you have the power to stop it, with your life as the cost, what will you do?" He asked Ruby the question in a rather casual manner so that the girl wouldn't suspect a thing. He was curious about what Ruby would say. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course," he added.

"I'll save the world, then," Ruby answered simply. "It's just that simple."

Makoto blinked. Ruby's tone sounded sincere. She didn't even hesitate in answering his question. It felt like she was stating a simple fact. After a while, Makoto regained his composure and spoke, "But I said that the cost of saving the world is your life. Can you do that?" He challenged.

Without even missing a beat, Ruby answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

Makoto stared at the girl. "…Are you sure?" He asked. "I mean, if the cost is your life, it means you'll have to die."

Ruby shrugged. "But everyone will live. I think it's worth it."

Makoto was unable to say anything about that. He was simply too stunned.

"After all, what's so scary about dying?"

Those words reminded him of what he had said previously in his old life. Back then, he was ambivalent to anything and he wouldn't even mind with the prospect of dying. And it scared him to hear those words again, which were spoken word for word from Ruby.

"Well, I guess I should return to my room, then," Ruby said before she got up. "It's nice to talk with you, Makoto. Good night!"

"Good night…" Makoto said absentmindedly as Ruby left. He simply stared at Ruby as she left him alone on the rooftop.

His mug was still in his hands.

"Haha…" Makoto chuckled mirthlessly as he looked up. "What a cruel prank you pulled on me, fate." His dissonant laugh filled the air as he ran his fingers through his blue hair. "Not only you set me up as a sacrifice, you also put another me right in front of me. What a nasty joke…"

He was wrong about his earlier assessment. Both he and Ruby were never stark contrasts of each other. In fact, they were pretty much very similar to each other.

Both Makoto and Ruby, despite their differences, did not fear death. And such a fact scared him.

* * *

"I see…" Olga mused after she listened to Ryoji. "You are a god."

"Heheh…" Ryoji sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess you can say that."

Both of them were in Olga's yurt, which was warmer than outside. There was a Dust-powered heater inside the yurt. Both of them were also having warm drinks.

"You are the god of death…" Olga said. "You bring the end to all living beings. And you embody the concept of death. And you bring forth the Fall, the end of the world."

"Yeah…" Ryoji nodded after hearing Olga's assessment. "With me being here means big trouble for everyone in this world. I mean, I don't want to kill all living things." He shrugged. "Well, it is my nature to kill living things, but I don't want to destroy the world by killing everyone, you know?"

"But with you being here means something…" Olga stated.

Ryoji nodded as he smiled melancholically. "Yeah. There's actually something that I'd like to do…" He looked at one direction. "I can feel it, a presence in this world. There is someone in this world that I would like to meet."

"And you can feel where this someone is?" Olga inquired.

"I guess so…" Ryoji said. "I'd like to meet him."

"Someone you know?" Olga asked.

"Intimately," Ryoji answered. "There has to be a reason why I am in this world. And if I manage to meet him, then all the questions that I have in my head will finally be answered."

"Is that so?" Olga mused. "Let me follow you."

"Eh?" Ryoji blinked a few times, not expecting that from the Faunus girl. "I mean… eh?"

"Have nothing better to do," Olga reasoned. "And you will end up lost without a guide. And I have a truck."

"Haha, I guess you are right, but are you sure?" Ryoji asked. "I mean, I'm probably destined to destroy Remnant. What if me seeing him ends up destroying this world? I'm not even sure what will happen if I manage to see him," Ryoji reasoned.

"Nothing else to do," Olga responded simply. "And all living things will end anyway, so why bother worrying?"

"Well, if you look at it that way…" Ryoji trailed off before he sighed. "Oh well, if you insist on guiding me, then I have no reason to refuse." He grinned as he held out his hand. "So, you're sticking with me for the time being, Olga." He winked. "I'm looking forward to whatever happens in the future."

Olga blinked as she looked at the extended hand. Hesitantly, she reached to hold the hand, shaking it.

"Likewise," the Faunus girl said simply, her lips curling up into a small smile.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Alright, this is me, Prince Arjuna. Finally, I'm done with Chapter 08, though it took me a while. When I thought about it, I haven't written any action scenes in this story, which must be rectified in future chapters. Yeah, kids brooding may seem cool, but it loses its novelty after a while. So, in this chapter, Makoto started his brooding phase, and Ryoji became more active. For Ryoji, he will make his own team, which consists of himself and three OCs, and they will call themselves Team MORT. And of course, the first member to show up is the Faunus girl, Olga Savinovskaya. She's a polar bear, by the way.

Also, thank you for beta-reading this chapter, **Sorata Shioya.** Nice working alongside you, as always. I hope you guys like this chapter, and please look forward for the next one, **Chapter 09: The Doubts.** Until then, farewell.

**Prince Arjuna (2015)**


	9. The Doubts

Standing on the cliff overlooking Emerald Forest was Elizabeth, holding her tome in one hand as she tried to do some fortune-telling with tarot cards. A few cards seemed to be floating around her as she did that.

"Hmm… how strange," the former attendant of the Velvet Room muttered to herself. Unlike usual, there was uncertainty in her voice as she continued reading the meanings behind the cards she pulled. "It seems that I somehow am unable to see his future. It feels like something has been blocking the path that he should have taken in order to fulfill his destiny. How worrying…"

After a few failed attempts to do the reading, the golden-eyed young woman sighed before she recalled all the cards that floated around her, allowing them to return back into the grimoire she was currently holding. Then, she closed the tome and held it close to her chest.

"It is my duty to assist him to see his destiny fulfilled," Elizabeth continued speaking to herself. "Still, with the seeds of doubts being planted into his heart, the road that he has to take in order to fulfill his destiny is going to be filled with thorns and obstacles. I fear that if the obstacles are too great for him, he may not be able to continue walking down that road, and his destiny will be left unfulfilled."

Elizabeth gazed up to the sky, looking at the moon which was currently unbroken. She learned that it was merely a part of the phase. It was quite disappointing for her when she learned that the moon wasn't actually destroyed by some sort of force. She always wanted to see a being that could muster the strength to actually break a celestial body like a moon into pieces, and if given the chance, fight said being in a no-holds-barred beatdown.

Well, that's certainly a nice thing to think of, but Elizabeth decided to think of it some other time, when the fate of the world she's currently in wasn't at stake. Also, she was concerned of what had happened to the boy she was currently assisting. While she might never understand humans' feelings and emotions due to her own inhuman nature, she was aware of the fact that the boy, Makoto Yuuki, was troubled.

The fact that she was madly in love with him also helped.

"I shall see if there is something to be done regarding this matter," Elizabeth continued. "If his condition remains unchecked, then he may end up sinking into the abyss of despair, and as the one who is destined to become the messiah of this realm, submitting to despair is a major no-no, as people would put it." She nodded again. "Perhaps he needs some sort of wake-up call? Anything that can remind him of his intended purpose? Or perhaps anything that can set him on the proper path? Hmm… well, such a thing can wait until I enjoy myself with the local cuisines. Truly, those local cuisines are something to die for!"

Nonsensical and incomprehensible as ever, Elizabeth twirled around a few times.

"After all, letting the chance to enjoy all those cuisines slip away is truly a bad thing, because the world may end soon," Elizabeth muttered. "Might as well enjoy myself while I'm at it."

After she was done talking to herself, she disappeared. There was no trace of the former attendant of the Velvet Room anywhere on the cliff. It felt like she was never there to begin with. She just disappeared into thin air, leaving nothing that could indicate that she was standing right there earlier.

Seriously, where did Igor get these people? Nothing about them seems to be making any sense.

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 09: The Doubts**

While Makoto Yuuki was considered a prodigy among the future Hunters, alongside Pyrrha Nikos, there had been a few teachers complaining about him falling asleep during classes. While someone like Professor Peter Port didn't seem to mind it much, basically saying that it took a different kind of dedication to actually fall asleep during his class, the leader of Team MNRV was considered as a 'problem student' due to his chronic lethargy.

Sure, he might be a genius, but he should be mindful of his own responsibility as the future Huntsman and leader of his team. He should work harder to at least try to stay awake during classes, some of the teachers said.

Out of all those classes, however, he never fell asleep during combat class, taught by Professor Goodwitch. One of the reasons why was because it would be next to impossible to actually fall asleep while there were students pitted against each other in the middle of the arena. The noises could be pretty distracting.

Also, Makoto liked this class.

History between Professor Goodwitch and his mother aside, he actually paid full attention during her lessons. It was already expected, considering that Professor Goodwitch was an experienced Huntress. Makoto himself admitted that he still had a lot of things to learn despite owning powers that could decimate Remnant several times over. It was because the Huntress herself had a lot of experiences in this field of work, and Makoto could learn from what she taught during her class.

Another thing that Makoto liked about Professor Goodwitch's combat class was the hands-on approach of her lessons. They didn't have to sit in order to listen to her lectures for too long, because it was a class where the future Huntsmen and Huntresses would be given their chances to showcase their combat prowess by having duels in the arena.

Seeing the duels somehow reminded Makoto of fighting games, with life bars displayed on the big screen above the arena. Actually, the bars indicated the level of one's Aura while battling. The level would decrease as the duel went on, and when one's level of Aura became low, they would no longer be fit for battle, and the match would be called.

Makoto had seen some of his classmates demonstrating their skills and prowess, and he had been analyzing them, making notes as he watched their capacity as future Huntsmen and Huntresses. He was sure that all those notes would come in handy in the future.

"We still have time for one more sparring match," Professor Goodwitch announced after a duel was finished. She observed her students, as if trying to find any student who would like to volunteer. Then she spotted one of her students raising one hand. "Ah, Miss Schnee. Very well, please come forth."

Getting up from her seat, the white-haired heiress went into the arena. Her weapon, Myrtenaster, was seen hanging on her waist.

"Go, Weiss, go! Woohoo!" Her teammate and the leader of her team, Ruby Rose, was cheering for her as she went into the arena. Weiss just sighed and rolled her eyes.

Tapping on her Scroll, Professor Goodwitch asked, "Would you like to choose your opponent? Or do you want me to pick any student at random?"

"Anyone is fine," Weiss replied. The reason why she volunteered herself was to test herself in this dueling match. She would look at this as a challenge to overcome.

"Very well," Professor Goodwitch nodded as she looked at her students. "Then, you shall fight Mr. Makoto Yuuki."

Hearing his name, Makoto perked his head. Weiss directed her eyes at him. Makoto sighed as he got up from his seat and walked down the aisle leading to the arena. His partner, Lie Ren, gave a light pat on his shoulder while his other teammate, Pyrrha Nikos, nodded at him in encouragement. As for Nora Valkyrie, she was cheering Makoto's name as her leader walked down the aisle. The screen above displayed the portrait pictures of both Makoto and Weiss, as well as their Auras' levels.

Carrying his weapon, Memento Mori, with him, he went into the arena where he would be facing Weiss. Professor Goodwitch explained to them the rules as both of them looked at each other.

"Now, if you two are prepared, you may begin," acting as the referee, Professor Goodwitch said. Weiss stood three meters away from Makoto, observing her opponent. The blue-haired boy was holding his gladius with his right hand, and with her holding her rapier with her left hand, they seemed to be mirroring each other.

_"His weapon is a gladius, a short sword…"_ Weiss thought as she continued observing Makoto, specifically his weapon. Makoto had yet to make any movements as Weiss continued sizing him up. _"Can be used for either stabbing or slashing, as well as having a rather short range. Even so, I should not underestimate him."_ While Weiss was quite confident in her capability as a combatant, she knew better than to underestimate someone based on one's weapon, especially after seeing one using such a simple weapon in combat once.

Then, Makoto raised his sword, making a sword salute. Weiss raised an eyebrow, not expecting the gesture from her opponent. And yet she reciprocated by giving him the same gesture as well before both of them lowered their swords at the same time. After that, Makoto took his stance. He lowered his body slightly as he held his sword to his side.

As for Weiss, she took her normal fencing stance, holding her rapier in front of her. _"I see…"_ She continued making her observation on her opponent. _"That is the standard stance while wielding a sword one-handed. Seems pretty normal. Still, I should not underestimate him, considering what he is capable of."_ It was rare for someone like Weiss to acknowledge someone. But it was right for her to do such a thing after seeing what he was capable of. _"Very well. Time to test the water."_

Activating her Semblance, she created a glyph under her feet, which she used to launch her towards her opponent at high speeds. Just in seconds, Weiss managed to close the distance between both of them, allowing her to deliver her first strike. She intended to launch rapid-fire stab attacks at Makoto with her rapier.

Makoto, who seemed visibly startled when Weiss managed to get close to him with such speed, instantly regained his bearings as he swiftly blocked the stabs with his gladius. Already anticipating this, before Makoto could deliver his counterattack, Weiss immediately launched herself up, jumping over his head and going to another direction before she conjured another glyph that she used as a platform to launch herself back at Makoto.

Swiftly, Makoto deflected the attack from above before he took two steps back. Weiss managed to land safely before she assumed her stance again.

_"As expected, I have the advantage in maneuverability,"_ Weiss thought, watching Makoto reassuming his stance. His expression barely changed, from what she could tell. _"If I continue with the same strategy, I may be able to win this battle."_ The heiress prepared to conjure her glyph once again before she realized that the weapon Makoto was holding was no longer a gladius, but a scimitar. _"I-it changes?! If so, then-"_

Her thought process was interrupted by a whirring sound. Then she noticed a thin wire that she could barely see attached to another scimitar that was embedded on the floor behind her. Another end of the thin wire was attached on the scimitar Makoto was holding, and by activating the mechanism that allowed the wire to be reeled back, Makoto let himself be dragged at a high speed towards the other scimitar that was embedded on the floor behind Weiss. It brought him closer to Weiss in such a short time, allowing him to deliver an attack.

Makoto swung his scimitar at Weiss, and the white-haired girl ducked to avoid the attack. Then Makoto pulled back his other sword, catching it with his other hand and used it to deliver his second attack. Weiss blocked the attack with her rapier before she moved back.

_"W-when did he change his weapon? Don't tell me he did that while parrying my attacks before!"_ Weiss looked at Makoto fusing his scimitars back, metal bits interlocking into each other to form a gladius. _"That's actually very smart. Cheap, yet smart. I should not let my guard down…"_

Intending to push forward, Weiss conjured more glyphs on the floor, lining them in queue towards Makoto, propelling herself forward. Once again, she closed the distance between both of them, and she launched a flurry of attacks at the blue-haired boy, intending to break the boy's defense by the repeated assaults.

As for Makoto, his expression barely changed as he deflected most of the attacks and avoided the rest before he retaliated by making a horizontal slash. Weiss avoided the attack by a thin margin, but then she realized that the boy was slashing at her with a scimitar instead of a gladius. He managed to change his weapon in such a short period of time, she barely noticed it.

_"He fluidly changed the form of his weapon, and I didn't even realize it!"_ Weiss cursed inwardly, preparing to launch herself up with her glyph in order to avoid the second attack from Makoto. Conjuring another glyph, she moved up and used more glyphs as platforms. She utilized those glyphs to increase her speed, jumping from one glyph to another to attack him from multiple directions. With all glyphs surrounding Makoto like some sort of cage, there's no way he could get away from her.

Still, Makoto just deflected all the attacks by using the forms of his weapon alternately. After Weiss tried to land another attack on him unsuccessfully, she pulled back, widening the distance between both of them. The one who had been moving most of the time during the duel was her, while Makoto barely moved from his spot. He mostly used his sword to deflect and parry her attacks, and he did not move too far from his original spot as he faced Weiss.

_"It feels like I am fighting an unmovable object…"_ Weiss mentally pondered to herself. She glanced at their Auras' meters, and she saw that their levels of Aura barely decreased during their clashes earlier. _"This is truly what I have expected. Even though he's only using the basic stance, he still manages to withstand my multi-directional attacks. He truly lives up to his name as the scion of the House of Yuuki."_ Weiss couldn't help but smile. While she wasn't as battle-crazy as her teammate, Yang Xiao Long, she still appreciated a challenge from a strong opponent. For her, the thrill of battling was truly exhilarating. She would like to savor such a feeling. _"Very well, let's change tactics."_

She took a stance, and this time, it wasn't the standard fencing stance. She spun the revolving chamber within Myrtenaster, and the blade glowed slightly.

_"Let's see if you can withstand this, Makoto Yuuki!"_

* * *

"You can do it, Weiss! Go, go!" Ruby was cheering for her teammate, who was currently fighting the leader of Team MNRV in the arena. "And, umm… you can do it too, Makoto! Go, Makoto, go!"

Her sister, Yang, frowned as she looked at Ruby. "Who are you rooting for, Rubes?"

"W-well, I think that cheering for just one of them is unfair, so I'm rooting for both of them. That way, I can still root for the winner, and I don't have to choose. It's a win-win solution!" Ruby said, beaming cheerfully at the buxom girl. Her other teammate, Blake Belladonna, just blinked, seemingly stunned by her leader's logic.

Then, they continued watching the match between Weiss and Makoto in the arena. Weiss once again launched her multi-directional assaults on Makoto, while Makoto withstood the attacks by parrying and deflecting the attacks.

"What is Mako-boss doing?" Nora wondered aloud as she noticed that Makoto barely moved from his spot. While he did step back and forth a few times in order to avoid being hit by Weiss' attacks, the one who had been moving the most during the duel was Weiss. "Do you see that, Ren?" She looked at her childhood friend, Ren. "He's barely moving!"

Ren observed his partner's movement. Nora was right in her observation. Unlike Weiss, Makoto did not move much. He seemed to be taking a passive approach during this duel. He still tried to deliver an attack or two when he saw any opening, but the one who took most of the initiatives was Weiss, who was zipping around with the help of her glyphs to attack Makoto from multiple directions.

"It's strange…" Ren mused. He remembered that when they were practicing, Makoto's movements were more dynamic, but this time, while certainly not unmoving, Makoto seemed to be taking all the hits head-on, parrying and deflecting the attacks to avoid having his Aura's level decrease. He remained on the spot while defending himself from Weiss continuous attacks. "He's not like this when we're training." Then, he glanced at Pyrrha, who was also watching the match.

Both of them exchanged a worried look.

"It's probably because of the other day at Forever Fall," Pyrrha voiced out her worry towards their leader. At that time, Makoto was troubled with something that he somehow refused to share with them, his teammates. While she certainly respected his privacy, the idea of their leader keeping all his problems to himself somehow frustrated her. And she also knew that both Ren and Nora felt the same thing as well. "And he's been more lethargic than usual lately. Is it because of his personal problems?"

She gave Ren a look, as if trying to ask if Makoto had been confiding to him about his problems. Ren just sighed and shook his head.

"I honestly don't know," Ren said. He was aware of the fact that their leader had been acting oddly these last few days. Sure, he was still deadpan and dry-witted most of the time, and his expression also barely changed, but there was certainly a heavy atmosphere around him, indicating that he was indeed troubled by something. "How about you, Nora? Did he tell you anything?" He turned to ask his childhood friend.

"Hmm? Hmm…" Nora put her finger on her chin, as if trying to recall something. "Not sure. But I do know that Makoto is bothered by something. But he never told me what…" She looked a little sad when she said that.

"I see…" Pyrrha mused. "Well, maybe he just needs more time. We cannot just rush him, right?"

"Yes, you are right, but we still need to approach this matter sooner or later," Ren said.

Back in the arena, Weiss continued to launch her attacks on Makoto. Due to her continuous attacks, Makoto's level of Aura seemed to be much lower than hers. Makoto noticed this and clicked his tongue. In this duel, he was the one with disadvantages and tried to retaliate.

Seeing an opening, Weiss went for an attack, and with a swipe of her rapier, she disarmed Makoto, sending his weapon flying. Memento Mori flew a few meters away from his hand before it clattered on the floor and finally stopped after a few seconds. Weiss took her chance to direct the tip of her rapier at Makoto's neck. With Myrtenaster's tip being placed on his throat, he had been put under her mercy.

"And that's the match!" Professor Goodwitch announced. "The winner is Miss Weiss Schnee." The big screen above displayed Weiss as the winner.

Weiss looked at her opponent for a few seconds before she lowered Myrtenaster, blinking. It felt like she didn't even believe that she managed to defeat Makoto in a duel.

"Congratulations," Makoto said as he scratched the back of his head. "So, I lost, huh? Sorry if I didn't live up to your expectations, Miss Schnee."

Weiss took a few seconds to process Makoto's words before she scoffed. "No, you did exceed my expectations. I just don't believe that I managed to win against you."

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Honestly, I'm flattered that you think rather highly of me…"

Letting out a haughty huff, Weiss crossed her arms. "Aren't you a little too carefree? You seem to be taking this defeat rather well." She looked at Makoto as he went to pick his weapon up. "I imagine someone like you would display a little bit of frustration after being defeated by the likes of me."

Makoto looked back at Weiss and spoke, "There's a lesson in every defeat. Also, losing means I can keep my ego from overinflating. A Huntsman with a huge ego tends to die early in his career. And it was nice fighting you." He was indeed impressed by Weiss' combat capacity and prowess. Her utilization of her Semblance during combat was quite a sight to behold. Not only that it was beautiful, it was also effective to be used to employ multi-directional attacks, like the ones that Weiss displayed earlier. "I'm looking forward to fighting you again in the future, Weiss Schnee." He held out his hand to Weiss, offering her a handshake.

Weiss stared at the offered hand for a moment before she let out a soft sigh and smiled slightly at Makoto. "Well, I suppose I have no reason to refuse such a thing." She shook Makoto's hand. "And will you please call me by my first name?" While she had no reservations with people calling her by her family's name, she would rather be called _Weiss_ Schnee than Weiss _Schnee._ "Just call me Weiss…"

"Well, if you say so…" Makoto shrugged. "In return, call me Makoto."

Meanwhile, among the students who were watching the match, Yang seemed to notice the exchange between both Weiss and Makoto.

"Well, well, well… will you look at that?" Yang said, seemingly interested with the exchange that was happening in the arena. "Somehow Mako's triggering a flag event with our Ice Princess…" Then, she whispered to her little sister. "I think Mako's going to go to Weiss Schnee's route. Don't you think so?"

"R-route?" Ruby looked at Yang nervously. "Yang, what do you mean?"

"I mean, Mako's gonna fill up her affection meter, and things get a little bit more serious, if you know what I mean, wink-wink," saying the winking sound effect out loud, Yang told her sister.

"Umm… I don't know what you're talking about…" Ruby said, confused.

Blake, who was listening to both sisters, decided to interject, "Flag event? Affection meter? Yang, don't tell me you play dating sims…"

"Oh no, I've been found out~"

"Dating sims? Wait, are those the games you've been downloading sometimes, Yang?" Ruby asked.

"I see…" Blake mused. "So, you do have that kind of hobby too. That explains why you wear your headphones while using your Scroll to play the games."

"Well, I wear headphones 'cuz I don't wanna make things awkward in our dorm," Yang admitted, grinning in a rather sheepish manner. "Especially to Ruby. It's still too early for her to learn that sort of stuff."

"Early?" Hearing that, Ruby looked at Yang and pouted. "Big Sister, what are you trying to imply here? Are you trying to say that I am not a grown-up?!"

"Whoa, easy there, Rubes!" Yang said. "Well, it's kinda sorta complicated… so it's better for you to not know this sorta stuff for now." Then she spoke to her sister enigmatically, "It's for your own good, Sis…"

"Yang's interest in games of questionable contents aside, why don't we focus on the fight?" Blake suggested. "Somehow, Weiss won."

"Yeah, she beat Makoto…" Ruby said. She was torn whether to cheer for her teammate's victory or be saddened by Makoto's defeat. She decided to have a little bit of both. "Still, wasn't that an awesome fight?"

Yang's expression indicated that she agreed with her little sister.

"I agree…" Blake said, voicing out her agreement as well. "Still, something seemed wrong…" The bow-wearing black-haired girl mused. She glanced at Makoto and Weiss walking back through the aisle to return to their seats.

"What seemed wrong?" Yang asked.

"I'm not sure…" Blake said. She had been feeling something strange from watching the match between Weiss and Makoto.

"Blake…" Ruby looked at her teammate. "W-well, it's probably just your imagination!" From her look, it seemed that the petite girl in red also noticed that something was definitely wrong. It's just that she had more reservations with voicing it out.

"Hey…" Weiss returned to her team. "What are you girls talking about?" She directed that question to her teammates. "Did you not pay any attention to our fight?" She scowled as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Welcome back, Ice Princess…" Yang greeted the victor of the match, grinning. "Of course we watched. With all the noises you made, the fight was kind of hard to ignore. So, how did it feel to emerge victorious against Signal's hidden ace?"

Weiss directed her scowl at Yang before she let out a sigh. It seemed that she had already given up telling her to stop calling her Ice Princess. "It was quite an eye-opening experience, though I suspect that he's been holding back while facing me…"

"Yes, I suspect as much…" Blake nodded. "Unlike you, he barely even moved."

"So, do you feel insulted that Makoto's not taking you seriously?" Yang asked.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Why do I have to feel insulted?" She took her seat beside Ruby. "Like I said before, I still have a lot of things to learn in order to become a perfect Huntress. Facing someone like Makoto Yuuki can at least give me some sort of measuring stick to see my growth…"

"Huh, I guess that makes sense…" Yang said. She then glanced at Makoto, who returned to his team. His teammates were congratulating him, patting his back as he returned to them.

As for Ruby, she also looked at Makoto. She still felt uneasy. Blake was also doing the same, but she did that for a different reason.

* * *

After the end of class, the students under Professor Goodwitch walked out of the training gym. They would be having a free session after this, so they were free to do any sort of activity.

As for Team MNRV, minus their leader, they decided to confront the issue that had been plaguing their team for the last few days. Pyrrha volunteered to do it, considering that Makoto was probably not prepared to tell them about the thing that had been troubling him yet.

"Makoto…" Pyrrha said. "We need to talk."

Makoto's expression barely changed upon hearing Pyrrha's request. He agreed, and they went to the rooftop of their dorm so that they could have their privacy. As soon as they arrived, both of them didn't say anything as they stood next to each other. Makoto even avoided eye-contact with Pyrrha.

"So, uh…" Pyrrha started. "Actually, we've been meaning to ask you about…" she carefully worded what she was about to say to Makoto, "…the thing that has been bothering you since Forever Fall. We noticed that you have been acting a tad different lately."

Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Makoto spoke, "So, I'm that obvious, huh?"

"I-it's nothing like that. It's just we noticed that you're changing. We assumed that it's due to what you have on your mind…" Pyrrha said. "We don't mean to rush you or anything like that. But it's been a few days, and…" She looked down. "We're worried."

"Ah…" Makoto seemed to understand what Pyrrha was trying to imply but spoke no further, urging the red-haired girl to continue.

"So, you need to tell us what your dilemma is, and we can sort it out from there." Pyrrha then gave Makoto a reassuring smile. "We're teammates, right? We watch each other's backs, so feel free to tell us your problem. Ren and Nora will also help."

For a while, Makoto didn't say anything. Then, he let out a heavy sigh.

"It's… complicated," Makoto spoke. "I'm not even sure if telling you this can help solve the problem or not." He deliberately avoided looking into Pyrrha's eyes as he continued. "Just give me time. Soon, I may tell you about this."

"B-but…" Pyrrha tried to protest, but from the look on Makoto's face, it was clear that he wouldn't speak any further regarding this matter. "I-I see. I understand, Makoto. A-and I'm sorry… I don't really mean to pry…"

"I know, you're just worried…" Makoto said, smiling slightly. "Well, let's get going now. I don't want my little defeat back at the combat class to be such a downer to all of us. I don't want our team to die due to depression because of my constant defeats." He turned on his heel and walked away while having his hands stuffed in his pockets.

Pyrrha just looked on as Makoto left. For some reason, she was saddened that she was unable to get him to open up.

Smiling sadly, she muttered, "In the end, even you look away from me…"

Saying no more, Pyrrha followed Makoto into the dorm.

* * *

"Ah…"

Ryoji Mochizuki jerked his head, waking up from his nap. He was currently in a truck together with his current travel partner, Olga Savinovskaya, with the Faunus girl driving the truck. They had already left the icy land, and they felt warmer than before. Olga had replaced her thick coat with a more accommodating dress, but she did not take off her ushanka. It was probably because she wanted to hide her animal ears.

Noticing that Ryoji had woken up from his nap, Olga glanced at him, who was currently sitting beside her, and spoke, "Had a nightmare?"

Hearing Olga's question, Ryoji smiled. "Well, not really. It's just that I was feeling strange a while ago." He brought his hand to his chest, where his heart should be. The beating of his heart made him believed that he was a human. Still, he knew better than most people that while he might look human, he was anything but human. He only mimicked the shape of a human named Ryoji Mochizuki, but it was only a shell that covered his true appearance: the Harbinger of the Fall and the God of Death, Thanatos. No matter what, there's nothing that could change the fact that his existence would bring the end to all living beings.

"Strange feeling?" Olga frowned, putting her attention on her driving while talking to Ryoji.

"Yeah… it's a thing that we call 'déjà vu'…" Ryoji said. "It makes me even more anxious to see the person whom I should be seeing. With that, every question in my head will be answered…"

"After you meet him, what's next?" Olga inquired.

"Honestly, I haven't thought about what to do next…" Ryoji admitted. "I might as well fulfill my role as the bringer of the end of the world, and all living beings on Remnant will die." He looked at Olga sadly. "Even you, Olga."

"All living things will die, there's no avoiding it…" Olga said. She seemed quite ambivalent towards dying. Ryoji was unsure what to think of it.

"Still, I don't want to do that…" Ryoji said. "Death may be a natural thing that happens in one's life, but there's more than just that. All lives are precious. I already know that. Even the smallest of things like insects carry their own weight in this world."

"But, you will still do it…" Olga stated.

"Yeah… after all, that is my destined role." Ryoji smiled sadly as he said that. "Two years from now, Remnant will be reduced into a complete wasteland, and no signs of living will be found. Mother Nyx shall descend once again, and bring destruction to all living beings."

Then, both said no more as Olga continued driving towards their supposed destination.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello, this is me, Prince Arjuna. I'm sorry for the lack of update all these months, but here we are, Chapter 9 of this story. Things got a little hectic here, so I hope you guys can forgive me, alright? I'll try to find some time to update this story.

Also, special thanks for **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter, as always. It's good to work with you. And guys, feel free to leave some reviews for this chapter, because the author needs all the reviews in order to write the new chapter he can write in the future. Stay tuned for the next update, **Chapter 10: The Heart.** Until then, farewell.

**Prince Arjuna (2015)**

**Edit: Changed 'Goodwill' to 'Goodwitch'. Mindderp.**


	10. The Heart

"This is awful…"

Those were the first words Ryoji Mochizuki uttered after seeing a large number of corpses littering the village that both he and Olga stopped by. At first, Olga wanted to restock her supplies at the village, but after seeing the large number of dead bodies as well as ruined houses, both Ryoji and Olga decided to investigate.

The Faunus girl sniffed the air after she looked around. Then, she looked at Ryoji beside her and said, "Attacked by the creatures of Grimm."

Ryoji just looked at the corpses and the wrecked houses somberly. "This world is certainly a dangerous place to live in if these creatures are this destructive. How can the people here survive all this time?" He inquired Olga.

"We fight back," Olga answered, her tone sounded resolute. "Hiding do nothing but slows the inevitable. Might as well face the dangers head on…"

Ryoji smiled at the white-clad Faunus girl. "For someone who is ambivalent towards death, that sounds rather inspiring, Olga…"

Hearing Ryoji's remark, Olga's cheeks reddened a little before she looked away, huffing. "You talk too much."

Ryoji chuckled. "Haha, sorry. That's actually a bad habit of mine…"

Olga just made a noncommittal noise as both of them walked down the corpse-littered road in the village. The Faunus girl continued sniffing the air, as if trying to detect anything other than the smell of death and destruction. She also removed her ushanka, revealing her bear ears. Both ears twitched as she tried to detect the sounds of any survivors in this ruined village.

Suddenly, her ears perked up before she looked at one direction. "Heard something from there," she told Ryoji.

"A survivor?" Ryoji asked.

"Don't know," Olga shook her head before she rushed over to the direction. It was an overturned fruit cart. She flipped it over, revealing the body of a girl her age, clad in a one-piece dress splattered with her own blood. Her forehead and her torso were wounded, but she was still breathing, albeit shallowly.

Holding the girl in her arms, Olga inspected her wounds.

"Mortal wounds…" Olga said before she looked at Ryoji. "She won't make it."

Ryoji stared at the dying girl's face before he softly spoke, "She will make it." Gently, he took the girl from Olga's arms, holding her in his before he closed his eyes. Then, the girl's body was enveloped by light.

Slowly, the wounds on the girl's body disappeared, much to Olga's astonishment. When the light faded, the girl was fully healed, and she was breathing normally.

Ryoji caressed the girl's face. "Healing is never my forte, but having a Diarama spell sure is handy in this kind of situation."

"Diarama?" Olga blinked upon hearing the new word.

"I'll explain to you later…" Ryoji told the Faunus girl. "Well, at least she's no longer in mortal danger, now that her wounds are healed. Got a spare blanket?" He asked.

"Have some in my truck," Olga said.

"Alright," Ryoji nodded. "I'll head over to the truck and wrap her in a blanket. Olga, I'm sorry for asking you this, but will you continue searching for more survivors?"

"…Yes," Olga nodded. So, Ryoji went over to Olga's truck while Olga continued searching for those who might survive the attack. Ryoji then wrapped the unconscious girl in a blanket. For twenty minutes, he watched over the girl.

Olga then returned, looking stoic as ever.

"No survivors," Olga informed. "Everyone in this village is dead."

"I see…" Ryoji mused, looking somber. "It's too bad."

"Need to resupply," Olga said. "No one alive is left, so we can take whatever we want."

Ryoji sighed. "Alright, just take whatever we need."

Olga nodded before she headed back to the village in order to loot for supplies. She took things like foods, gas, spare clothes and blankets and a few more things necessary for a long journey. She also found a whole cache of Dust gems. She took them all.

After filling her truck with all the supplies, she went to Ryoji who was still holding the girl they saved in his arms.

"What are you going to do with her?" Olga asked.

"Hmm… well, might as well bring her along," Ryoji answered. Then, the girl stirred. "Oh, she's waking up."

"Ngh…" The girl grunted before she opened her eyes, revealing a pair of violet eyes. The first thing she saw was a pair of blue eyes which belonged to the one who held her, Ryoji. A few seconds later, she opened her mouth, as if trying to say something, but her words were garbled, probably due to a dried throat.

"W-wa… terrr…"

Olga then handed Ryoji a canteen of water, and the raven-haired boy helped the girl drink from the canteen. After a while, the girl held the canteen with both her hands as she gulped the water from the canteen greedily. Then, she coughed and wheezed, having choked herself while drinking from the canteen.

"Slow down there, slow…" Ryoji told the girl, rubbing her back gently.

When the girl finally recovered, she looked at the boy who held her in his arms. She looked confused. Then, she looked down on her own bloodstained dress before her eyes widened, as if remembering what had happened before.

"T-the village… e-everyone… n-no… no…" The girl cradled her own head as she recalled what had happened to the village where she lived in.

"Calm down…" Ryoji said. "You're no longer in danger, okay? I healed your wounds after I found you."

The girl stared at Ryoji bemusedly. "Y-you found me…" She looked hopeful for a second. "W-what about the others? What about my parents?"

Ryoji looked down, avoiding the girl's gaze. "About that…"

"Everyone's dead," Olga said it before Ryoji. "You are the only survivor."

Ryoji frowned at Olga's bluntness. As for the girl, she just stared at the Faunus girl, not believing her.

"I-it can't be! T-there has to be someone! I-I can't be the only one!" The girl cried out.

"I'm sorry…" Ryoji sighed. "She's right, you're the only one left alive. You were even dying when we found you. I'm so sorry…"

Hearing Ryoji's words, the girl broke down, sobbing in his arms. Ryoji sighed again before he glanced at Olga, who shrugged as she brought the gas she found to refuel her truck.

* * *

**Messianic Rebirth**

**Persona 3 and RWBY Crossover**

**Chapter 10: The Heart**

"Hey, Makoto's being a little strange lately…" Ruby Rose, the leader of Team RWBY, said to her teammates. All four of them were in the library, reading books. Ruby seemed to be reading a comic book.

"Huh? I think he's still the same as ever, Rubes. What are you talking about?" Ruby's sister, Yang Xiao Long, said while reading a magazine.

"What's so strange about Makoto?" Weiss Schnee, Ruby's partner and the heiress of the Schnee family, spoke as she put down the book she was reading.

"W-well, I dunno… I mean, there's something different about him," Ruby said. "What do you think, Blake?"

Blake Belladonna, Yang's partner, blinked when the leader of her team addressed her. "Hmm? What are we talking about again?" She asked.

Yang grinned. "Oho? What's on your mind, Blakey? Got something to share?"

"N-no, it's nothing," Blake shook her head. "I-it's just… I'm thinking about something. Umm… what are we talking about again?"

"It's about Makoto Yuuki," Weiss informed. "It seems that our leader is a little concerned about the leader of Team MNRV, and she'd like to hear about what we think about it."

"Oh," Blake said.

"So, got any idea, Blake?" Ruby asked.

"Umm… I'm not so sure, but… he's been brooding around the school lately." Blake said.

"Brooding, huh? Well, it's not that strange," Yang said. "I mean, he's been brooding a lot at Signal before."

"And he's been sleeping during class. Too many times, in fact," Weiss chimed in. "Hmph, for someone that talented, he's pretty lazy."

"He did that a lot at Signal back then," Ruby said.

"So, there's nothing unusual about him…" Yang said before she grinned at her little sister. "What's up, sis? Don't tell me you've got a crush on him or something?"

"W-what?!" Ruby's cheeks reddened, matching the color of her hood. Then, she realized that she wasn't the only one who reacted to that. Beside her, Blake was standing, her cheeks were red as well.

When three pairs of eyes were on her, Blake immediately regained her composure, coughing into her fist before she sat back on her seat, her cheeks were still red. Ruby looked at the black-haired girl confusedly while Yang had a suspicious grin on her face as she looked at her partner. As for Weiss, she just sighed as she continued reading her book, finding the conversation ultimately meaningless.

"Speaking of which, I don't see Team MNRV today," Yang said. "Where are they?"

"Hmm… I remember Pyrrha telling me that Makoto and Ren are going to Vale." Ruby put her hand under her chin as she recalled her meeting with the de-facto vice-leader of Team MNRV, Pyrrha Nikos.

"Ooh, interesting…" Yang mused, rubbing her own chin as her lips curled up into a suspicious smirk. Both Blake and Weiss took notice of this and narrowed their eyes at the same time.

"Yang Xiao Long…" Weiss said, her eyes still narrowed as she looked at the buxom girl. "What sort of twisted plan have you concocted in that sick mind of yours, huh?"

Yang seemed offended, or at least feigning it. "What a nasty thing to say, Weiss…" She wagged her index. "It's just that something occurred to me." That suspicious smirk did not leave her face as she continued. "Don't you think that both Makoto Yuuki and Lie Ren are pretty close lately?"

Weiss frowned. "What's your point, Xiao Long? They're partners, just like you and Blake," she said.

Yang just shrugged. "Well, maybe I'm wrong about this, but…" Her grin grew wider. "Don't you think there's something else happening between both of them?"

"Something else happening… between both of them?" Ruby blinked, confused.

"What are you implying, Yang?" Blake asked.

"C'mon, Blakey…" Yang said to her partner. "Out of all people here, you're the one who should know this lately. Don't you think both of them are too close to each other? I mean…" She grinned toothily at the black-haired girl. "A little too close?"

For a few moments, there was no reaction from Blake, but then, as realization seemed to have dawned on her, her expression changed. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened, as her cheeks once again shaded with red.

"Y-you mean… w-wha… t-they…"

Yang chuckled. "Now you get it, Blake."

Ruby was still confused. "What are they talking about, Weiss?" She asked her partner.

Weiss just sighed as she massaged the bridge of her nose. "Something immature that needs to be dropped as soon as possible, Ruby."

* * *

Both Makoto and Ren walked down the street of Vale, and both of them had not said a single word ever since they arrived at the city. The boy clad in green occasionally glanced at his partner as they continued walking down the street.

Makoto seemed impassive and much quieter than usual, which made the other members of MNRV even more worried. So, Ren decided to invite the leader of the team to hang out at the city so that he could figure out the thing that had been troubling him lately.

"Makoto…" Ren began. "I know this may get a little repetitive, but… is there something troubling you?" He asked.

Makoto stopped. He glanced at his partner before he sighed heavily. For a moment, he remained quiet before he said, "Don't worry about it, Ren."

He continued walking, and Ren let out a sigh before he followed the blue-haired boy. He knew that he shouldn't rush it, constantly pestering Makoto with questions, but he was worried about him, just like how Pyrrha and Nora were worried about him. If only there was something he could do to make Makoto talk about his problem, then…

"Makoto, why don't we go to the café?" Ren suggested, pointing at the café not too far from them.

The blue-haired boy looked at the direction of the café before he nodded. "Sure."

So, both the boys headed to the café. After getting a table and their orders, they remained quiet. As both boys weren't the most talkative individuals out there, they didn't talk much.

But in such a case, one of them had to take the initiative, and knowing that Makoto wouldn't be the one to take it, Ren believed that he had to take it first. "You see… I actually didn't expect to be partnered with you, Makoto."

Makoto looked at his partner's face, frowning.

Ren looked up. "I've been planning to be partnered with Nora, you see? I've known her since we were children, so it should be natural for both of us to stick together as a team," he then looked back at Makoto, smiling slightly. "Well, at least we're still on the same team technically, so I have no complaints about it."

"So, I got in your way, then," Makoto said.

"Well, in a way, yes," Ren nodded. "But I don't actually dislike the current arrangement. And… I do believe that I can work well with you, Makoto." He looked at the blue-haired boy before him. "I mean, I know I'm not the friendliest person in Beacon and you know it, but… I can't help but think that we can work well as a team. The two of us."

Makoto did not say anything as he listened to Ren. Slowly, he realized that the other boy was trying to make him open his heart to him, just like how he tried to open his own. Both of them weren't sociable or in any way approachable, but Ren was making an effort to actually change the dynamic between the two of them.

"So, I want you to trust me, since we're partners. And the trust goes both ways," Ren said. "I'm free to listen to whatever problem you have, Makoto."

Makoto stared at his partner for a while before he sighed. "You're pretty persistent, you know that?" Then, he smiled. "But, thanks. I want you to trust me too, since I'm going to tell you the most outrageous thing you'll probably ever hear, Ren."

Ren did his best to cover his anticipation. Since he was good at maintaining his stoicism, he managed to do so just fine.

"Alright, let's hear it."

* * *

Makoto told the other boy the truth. He told him the reason behind his birth in this world. He told him about the incoming doom that would come to Remnant in the future as well as his role in preventing it. He also told him about his previous life and the fact that he had sacrificed himself in order to prevent the world he previously lived in to be destroyed.

For a while, Ren did not say anything. From his expression alone, it was clear that the green-clad boy had trouble believing all the things Makoto had told him.

"I can understand if you can't believe it, but I'm telling you nothing but the truth," Makoto reassured him. Somehow, he felt relieved after telling someone the truth about himself. He did know what would happen after this, but there was less burden on his shoulders after spilling the truth to someone else.

"I have to admit, it's pretty outrageous, but…" Ren said as he looked at Makoto. "I believe you. I believe everything you said, Makoto."

"Even about me being from another world who was somehow reborn in this world?" Makoto asked.

"Even that," Ren nodded. "It is outrageous, but… I feel I should believe everything you said, Makoto. I can feel it." He placed his hand on his chest as he smiled at Makoto.

"You seem to be taking this awfully well, Ren," Makoto deadpanned.

"Try living together with Nora. You'll be able to believe even the most ridiculous things," Ren deadpanned back. "But… about the end of the world, how much time do we have?" He asked.

Makoto shook his head. "I don't know. I have my own benefactors here, but for the time being, all I can do now is to wait and see," he said. "And to grow stronger as a Huntsman. There are still a lot of things I need to learn here, and I need to be prepared before I can save this world."

"I see…" Ren mused. "If that's the case, then let me help you, Makoto."

"Ren?" Makoto looked at the other boy as he stood up.

"To save a world that isn't yours, I have never seen something much more nobler than that," Ren said. "And… I have to admit, for a Huntsman, I'm pretty mediocre. Even Nora has more potential than me." He clenched his fists. "Once, I resented that fact, but… I kind of accept it now. I am meant to help others realize their potentials. If I can help you save the world, who am I to turn around and leave you be?"

"Ren, you…" Makoto then smiled. "Heh… you're pretty meddlesome, you know? But I can't dislike that." He held out his hand. "I need every help I can get, Ren. If you're willing to lend me your hand in order to save Remnant from destruction, I'll be glad."

"Yes, I'll help you," Ren nodded, accepting Makoto's hand, shaking it. And at that moment, Makoto heard a ringing sound inside his head, something that he was familiar with during his past life.

_Temperance Arcana._

He could feel something resonating deep inside him, something that he did not feel for quite some time. The Wild Card is the power to understand other people's hearts, and with that understanding, one can gain a new perspective, thus allowing one to wear a different mask according to the situation.

By forging a Social Link, Makoto was able to understand the heart of Lie Ren, understanding the world through his perspective, incorporating said perspective into his own.

"Still… what is this 'Persona'? Is that some kind of Semblance?" Ren asked.

"Well, it'll be much easier for me to show it to you rather than telling you about it," Makoto said. Then, a waiter brought their foods. "After we finish eating, that is."

* * *

Both Makoto and Ren went to the cliff overlooking Emerald Forest. There was no one nearby, which made it easier for Makoto to show Ren what a Persona really was. His Evoker was holstered on his waist, and it was a crucial thing to have in order to summon a Persona.

"So, we're here…" Makoto said. "Let's hope that no one's watching."

"Pretty sure there's no one here," Ren nodded. "So, are you going to show me what this Persona really is?" He asked.

"Of course," Makoto nodded as he took his Evoker from the holster. He looked at the metallic surface of the gun-shaped device. "Prepare yourself, Ren. This is going to look a little morbid."

"Okay, I'm prepared," Ren couldn't help but feel a little excited. After hearing everything from Makoto, he was curious about what this Persona was.

Makoto smiled. "Good. Now…" He moved the barrel of the Evoker to his temple. "Persona."

"W-wait, what are you-" As expected, Ren was taken off-guard by his action. Before he could do something, Makoto pulled the trigger, and the sound of glass breaking resonated around them. His body was wreathed in an azure flame-like aura before an ethereal being emerged behind him.

_"Thou art I… And I am thou. From the sea of thy soul, I cometh. I am Orpheus, the Master of String…"_

Floating behind Makoto was a mechanical creature with dark skin and white hair. Ren noted that the creature had the same hairstyle as the one who summoned it. When it spoke, its voice came from the speaker on its stomach. On its back was some kind of lyre, a musical instrument with a handle.

"This is one of my Personas…" Makoto said, lowering the Evoker from his head. "His name is Orpheus, the Master of String…"

"Whoa…" Ren could not hide his amazement as he stared at Orpheus. He noted that Makoto said that it was just one of his Personas. "There are more?"

Makoto nodded. "There are at least a few hundred of them inside my head."

"And you can summon them by shooting yourself in the head with that thing?" Ren asked, looking at the gun-shaped device that Makoto was holding.

"This is an Evoker, a device that is designed to shoot mental trauma into my head in order to summon a Persona," Makoto explained. "I can summon a Persona without an Evoker, but that'll require me to recall my own worst trauma in order to force a Persona out of my head without forcefully splitting my head in half."

"Sounds rather morbid…" Ren commented. "So, what'll happen if I were to shoot myself in the head with this Evoker?" He asked.

"If you're chosen, then you'll summon your Persona," Makoto answered before he shrugged. "If you're not, then nothing will happen."

"I see…" Ren mused. "Still, what are you going to do after this? Are you going to tell Pyrrha and Nora about this whole business?"

"I'll tell them eventually. It's only fair," Makoto nodded. "And I'll need you to help me explain everything. I have no problem telling you about this since you're pretty rational, but I don't want to drop a bombshell onto their heads."

"Right," Ren said, nodding. "So, in the meantime, why don't you tell me more about your past life?"

Both boys left the cliff as they talked, and both of them were not aware that someone was eavesdropping them. Hiding behind a tree was a girl clad in black-and-white attire, the ribbon on top of her head twitching as she hid herself from both of them.

She couldn't hear a thing from their conversation due to the distance, but she was able to see the creature that Makoto summoned by shooting himself in his head.

"That's…" The girl, Blake Belladonna, muttered to herself. "That's just like that time…" She closed her eyes. "So, it really happened…"

* * *

After burying all the dead bodies, both Ryoji and Olga decided to leave the village, bringing the only survivor with them. The girl sat next to Ryoji at the front seat instead of sitting at the back seat. Olga drove the truck, occasionally glancing at the girl who was snuggling against Ryoji.

"What's your plan after this?" Ryoji asked the girl.

"I don't know…" The girl answered sadly. "Everyone I knew is dead. I don't know what to do anymore…"

When the girl was about to cry again, Ryoji gently rubbed her back, calming her down. Olga, while driving, rolled her eyes before she focused back on driving.

"Then, focus on living…" Ryoji told the girl. "There has to be a reason why you survived. Live for the sake of the people who died before you," he said.

"Mister…" The girl looked at Ryoji with teary eyes. "I…"

"Ryoji Mochizuki…" He told her his name. "That's my name. From now on, call me Ryoji. Speaking of which, you haven't told us your name yet."

"Rhiannon…" The girl introduced herself. "Rhiannon Arberth. That's my name…"

Ryoji smiled. "Such a beautiful name. May I call you Rhia?"

Shyly, Rhiannon nodded.

Olga rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. Both Ryoji and Rhiannon looked at the driver.

"What's wrong, Olga?" Ryoji asked the Faunus girl.

"Nothing," Olga answered simply as she focused herself on driving her truck. It would take a long time before they could arrive at their destination.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

* * *

**Author's Note: **Hello, this is me, Prince Arjuna. Sorry it took me too long to update this story. But here we go, Chapter 10 of Messianic Rebirth. I'm now a teacher, so I will be busy with my work to actually update my stories, but I'll find some time to update them, that I promise to you guys.

Also, let's not forget my beta-reader, **Sorata Shioya** for beta-reading this chapter. It's so good to have you beta-reading and proofreading this story, you know? Let's continue working together. So, stay tuned for the next chapter, Chapter 11: The Stray. Until then, farewell.

**Prince Arjuna (2016)**


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